Air defense, technological edge, and defense industry: Ukraine outlines priorities for cooperation with partners
Minister of Defence of Ukraine Evgeniy Khmara addressed the Atlantic Future Forum, where he highlighted Ukraine’s priority tasks: building a system to protect the skies, ensuring technological advantage on the battlefield, and jointly developing the defense industry.
Evgeniy Khmara noted that modern warfare is no longer limited to the battlefield. It extends to energy, infrastructure, the economy, and the cyber and cognitive domains.
No country can fully prepare for all these challenges on its own. We need joint solutions and joint investment.
Building a system to protect Ukraine’s skies
According to Evgeniy Khmara, the first key task is building a system to protect Ukraine’s skies.
Currently, the most effective means of countering jet-powered drones and cruise missiles are combat aircraft and surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. In parallel, we are developing and scaling up cheaper solutions. These are primarily anti-aircraft artillery modules, interceptor drones, and electronic warfare (EW) assets. We are also expanding our aviation capabilities. This is not only about the aircraft fleet, but about the entire system that provides these capabilities: weapons, technical support, and pilot training.
Countering ballistic missiles presents a distinct challenge. Ukraine is also pursuing asymmetric solutions: it is striking launchers and russian weapons manufacturing facilities while developing a multilayered EW system.
Technological advantage on the battlefield: 9 million drones in 2026
The second task is to ensure Ukraine’s technological advantage along the line of contact.
In 2026, Ukraine allocated about €30 billion to procure 9 million drones. A significant share of these funds came from a European Union loan and bilateral assistance from partners.
Ukraine’s goal is to keep increasing the supply of drones to the military and to scale up solutions that are already changing the situation on the battlefield.
Joint development of defense industries with partner countries
The third task identified by the Minister of Defence is the joint development of defense industries in Ukraine and partner countries.
Ukraine is already developing joint production facilities with partners and working to launch new ones. Such cooperation makes it possible to strengthen the Defence Forces of Ukraine while accelerating the development of other countries’ defense industries.
Ukraine has unique experience of modern warfare. We want to turn this experience into joint capabilities through technology, industrial cooperation, and mutual investment.
