Fedorov and Pistorius sign letter of intent to launch Brave Germany
Minister of Defense of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius have signed a Letter of Intent between their ministries regarding cooperation in the field of defense technology innovation.
As reported by an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, the signing ceremony between the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Federal Ministry of Defense of Germany took place in Kyiv on Monday.
The Brave1 press service later explained that Brave Germany involves a joint grant program for Ukrainian and German startups developing solutions in critical defense tech areas, including unmanned technologies, artificial intelligence, high-power lasers, new communication solutions, and missile technologies. The key idea of the program is to address the technological needs of the Ukrainian front through partner-nation innovations.
The program will also include joint activities, such as hackathons and matchmaking sessions, aimed at finding practical solutions for the modern battlefield. From the Ukrainian side, the program will be implemented by the Brave1 defense tech cluster.
"Brave Germany will accelerate the development of modern warfare technologies that will help Ukraine gain an advantage on the battlefield and strengthen the future security of Europe," the statement said.
The parties agreed to launch the program by the end of 2026.
Earlier, German media reported that Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv on Monday for talks on expanding defense industry cooperation with Ukraine.
In April 2026, Fedorov and Pistorius signed the country's first agreement on the exchange of defense data with partners. The memorandum was signed with the participation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Within this agreement, a series of joint projects is planned for launch.
In particular, this concerns the analysis of the use of German systems, such as PzH 2000, RCH 155, and IRIS-T, based on combat data. Partners will also gain access to unique combat data from DELTA and other digital systems to help develop technologies and enhance their own capabilities.
According to Fedorov, preparatory work has also begun within the framework of a proposed drone agreement for Germany. Furthermore, following agreements between the leaders, specific decisions regarding weapons have been made: missiles, including PAC-2, and launchers for IRIS-T systems, which Ukraine will receive over several years to strengthen the protection of Ukrainian skies.