Ukrainian defence companies to gain access to EU programmes and a €300 million defence industry support instrument
During the EU UA Defence Industry Forum in Kyiv, Ukraine and the European Union signed two agreements that will give Ukrainian companies access to EU programmes, grant funding, and joint projects.
The agreements were signed on behalf of Ukraine by Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov and on behalf of the EU by EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius.
The agreements we have signed will help scale up our defence projects and programmes, attract investment, and support startups. Joint R&D offers the EU and Ukraine a unique opportunity to make a major leap forward in integrating our defence industries. Together, we are shaping priorities and demonstrating the trends and challenges of modern warfare to our European colleagues. We are building win-win partnerships and creating new value in our partnership with the EU.
The Minister of Defence of Ukraine thanked Andrius Kubilius and the European Union team for their steadfast support, as well as Ukrainian and European companies that are building mutually beneficial partnerships to strengthen our shared security.
Ukraine's defence industry has learned to develop technological solutions directly in response to the needs of the frontline. The next step is to give those solutions the scale they need and integrate them into European research, development, and production programmes. That is precisely why the agreements we have signed are so important: they will help transform solutions proven in Ukraine into shared European capabilities.
The agreements will enter into force following ratification by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Ukraine joins the European Defence Fund
The first agreement relates to Ukraine's accession to the European Defence Fund (EDF).
The EDF is the European Union's flagship programme for supporting defence research and development. More than €1 billion has been allocated to the programme for 2026.
Following Ukraine's accession to the EDF, Ukrainian state-owned and private defence companies will be able to participate in joint R&D projects with European partners and secure grant funding to develop new defence solutions.
This marks a new level of integration between the Ukrainian and European defence industries.
Funding for BraveTech EU under the EDIP
The second agreement is a Financing Agreement under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP).
The EDIP is a European Union programme for 2026–2027 aimed at strengthening the European defence industry. The programme has a total grant budget of €1.5 billion.
Within the EDIP, a dedicated instrument has been established for Ukraine: the BraveTech EU Ukraine Support Instrument (USI). The USI aims to restore and develop Ukraine's defence industrial base while integrating Ukrainian companies into joint European projects.
- €260 million for measures to expand manufacturing capacity;
- €35.3 million for innovation under BraveTech EU, a joint Ukraine-EU initiative to develop game-changing defence technologies.
The funding may cover up to 100% of the costs incurred by Ukrainian participants. This will enable Ukrainian companies to secure grant funding for the development of solutions needed by the Defence Forces.
BraveTech EU gains momentum
BraveTech EU, the first joint defence innovation programme, is gaining momentum and already includes the European DefTech Forges initiative and Brave1's dedicated grant programme for Ukrainian defence companies. The next phase is the launch of grants for Ukrainian companies and companies from EU Member States under the Ukraine Support Instrument.
