Defense Minister of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov has emphasized the importance of ratifying the agreements signed this week, which open up access for Ukrainian defense companies to R&D grants within the European Defence Fund (EDF) and grants for scaling up production capacities within the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP).
"This week, during the Ukraine-EU Defense Industry Forum, together with European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius, we signed two key agreements that open up access for Ukrainian defense companies to R&D grants under the European Defence Fund (EDF) and to grants for scaling up production capacities under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP)," he wrote on Telegram on Wednesday.
According to him, these agreements open up "opportunities for scaling Ukrainian defense developments, attracting grants, and supporting startups. Joint R&D is an opportunity for Ukraine and the EU to co-create new defense technologies and integrate our defense industries."
"We expect parliamentary ratification of the agreements — and together with partners, we will be able to scale defense innovations and create new solutions for the battlefield in Ukraine," he stressed.
According to Fedorov, today Ukraine is not only adopting the experience of partners but is also shaping new approaches to modern warfare herself. "Together we set priorities, share combat experience, and help European partners better understand the trends and challenges of the modern battlefield. This is how we build a true win-win partnership," he added.
As the defense minister reported, separately within the EDIP there is a special support tool called the Ukraine Support Instrument. It provides €300 million to support Ukraine’s defense-industrial capabilities. Of this, €260 million will be directed toward building up production capacities, and another €35.3 million to developing innovations within the BraveTech EU USI grant program, where Brave1 will provide grants of up to EUR 200,000 for projects from TRL4+. Grant funding can cover up to 100% of the participants’ expenses.
Fedorov stressed that the BraveTech EU program within the EDF, which became the first joint program for the development of defense innovations, is gaining momentum and already includes the European initiative DefTech Forges and a special Brave1 grant program for Ukrainian defense companies. The next stage is grants for Ukrainian and EU companies within the Ukraine Support Instrument.
"The Ukrainian defense industry has already become one of the drivers of technological changes in modern warfare. Our task is to help these solutions scale and together strengthen the security of Ukraine and the whole of Europe," Fedorov concluded.
"Thank you to Andrius Kubilius, the European Union team, and all Ukrainian and European companies that are building a new European defense architecture together with us," the Ukrainian defense minister wrote.
As reported on July 14, the European Commission and Ukraine signed cooperation agreements under two European Union defense industry programs: the European Defence Fund (EDF) and the European Defence Industry Programme with the Ukraine Support Instrument (EDIP/USI).
"Joint defense projects contribute to the rapid integration of Ukraine into the EU. With Mykhailo Fedorov (defense minister — IF-U), we signed cooperation agreements with Ukraine on two key defense industry programs — EDF and EDIP/USI," European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius wrote on this occasion.
Kubilius stated that Ukraine is becoming part of the European Union’s policies and instruments. "Integration continues!" the European commissioner emphasized.
