The European Commission (EC) has presented the first European Defense Industrial Strategy in the history of the European Union, which provides for the gradual integration of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex into the European one.

This was announced by European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton at a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday, presenting the Strategy.

“Ukraine will be able to benefit from the support of this strategy for their defence defence industry. Of course, to increase the capacity of production, like any European different company, but also in joint acquisitions and what is extremely important is that while doing so, we are preparing step by step the integration of the the Ukraine defence industry within our own EU defence industry. So that's something extremely new, but the first time we're doing this and with the interactions we have had, of course, with the Ukrainian Government, we believe it will be highly appreciated,” he explained the possible involvement of Ukraine in the implementation of this strategy.

Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Margrethe Vestager expressed opinion that such participation of Ukraine is “a signal of the future of Ukraine as a member of the European Union.” “To say well, the Ukrainian defence capacity is part of this ecosystem that we want to strengthen,” she said.

In this regard, the Vice-President of the EC pointed to the Defense Innovation Office, which will be opened in Kyiv and which will be “sort of a two way office for innovations in Ukraine also to be made available in a present EU context.” “A lot of innovation takes place in Ukraine right now. I think we see more and more previous civilian technology being used for defence purposes. Those are very important innovations. And I think it's important that we use this office also to learn on the European side, so that the defence industry is an industry that comes together in a ecosystem where Ukraine is fully integrated,” Vestager explained.

In his turn, the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, noted that in order to continue to support Ukraine, the EU must also increase its own production capabilities. “Ukraine today needs 200,155 ammunition per month. It makes 2.5 million per year. If we want to support Ukraine, we have to be able to do. So because this doesn't come from the sky. And people don't fight with a bank note and bank note is good to buy arms, but you have to do it and a bank note is useless to fight. You need to convert financial capacity on industrial capacity in order to provide supplies, so everything that increases our defence capability is good for Ukraine since we are committed to support Ukraine with our capacity.