Ukraine needs integration into Europe's security system and is ready to share innovations - Shmyhal

Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal believes that Europe must take responsibility for its security, and "the fastest way to strengthen European security is to support Ukraine."

He expressed this opinion during an online speech at the 2025 Aspen Security Forum: DC Edition, which took place in Washington, Shmyhal said on Telegram on Friday.

"It is important for Europe to take responsibility for its own security today. And the fastest way to strengthen European security is to support Ukraine," he wrote.

According to the minister, in his speech he also outlined two main prerequisites for achieving true peace: "a strong army and defense industry of Ukraine and security guarantees, and the main such guarantee is the Ukrainian Defense Forces."

"We need stable financing, modern weapons and integration into the European security system," he stressed, noting that Ukraine, in turn, is ready to share with Europe innovations that have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield.

In this context, Shmyhal emphasized: Ukraine has reached a production potential of almost 20 million drones per year; Ukraine is a leader in the application of AI on the battlefield. "We were the first in the world to scale up the production and combat use of ground robots, and in 2025 we are purchasing 15,000 such systems," the Minister of Defense noted.

"In parallel, Ukraine is implementing a missile program. Our plans are to produce 30 thousand long-range drones and 3,000 cruise missiles," he added.

"We are building a unique ecosystem that has the ability to protect Ukraine and Europe. The most logical source of financing this process is Russian frozen assets. The aggressor must pay for its aggression," Shmyhal said.