A swift integration of Ukraine’s and the EU’s defense industries is both beneficial and essential for both sides, as it would create a unique fusion of European industrial capacity and financial resources with Ukraine’s battlefield-tested resilience, energy, and innovative approaches.
This was stated in Brussels by European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, during his speech at the EU–Ukraine Defence Industry Forum.
“I often ask a rhetorical question – who is integrating with whom? Ukraine stands to gain from European production capacity and financial resources, as well as from advanced technologies and platforms, aircraft, and air defense batteries. But Ukraine’s industry is faster, more modern, and capable of producing unique products. That is why the European Union also stands to gain significantly – including through lower production costs,” said Kubilius.
He recalled that increasing support for Ukraine is a key priority in the White Paper on the Future of European Defence. EU support for Ukraine over the past three years has exceeded €100 billion, including €50 billion in military assistance.
“But that’s only 0.1% of our European GDP. Clearly, we can and must do more. As Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last week, it is no longer enough to simply spend more. The EU must shift from a logic of assistance to a logic of integrating defense industries. We need a fusion of EU experience and production capabilities with Ukraine’s energy, talent, and ambition,” the Commissioner noted.
Kubilius emphasized that European companies and the EU as a whole could benefit in several ways from partnering with Ukraine:
First, Ukraine produces advanced and modern weaponry at half the cost it would take to manufacture it in the EU. This means the EU could acquire two such systems for the price of one.
Second, the EU can learn from Ukraine’s defense industry management. The production capacity of Ukraine’s defense sector jumped from $1 billion in 2022 to $35 billion last year – a 35-fold increase.
Third, Europe can absorb the creativity and strength of Ukraine’s defense sector, which is young, dynamic, and arguably the most innovative not just in Europe, but globally. Thanks to these qualities and accomplishments, Kubilius said, Ukraine not only defends itself effectively on the battlefield – it also defends all of Europe.
“In the future, as Europe assumes full responsibility for the continent’s defense, Ukraine will be a critical component of the new European security architecture – with its battle-hardened forces, its defense industry capable of creating new platforms, and its impressive drone army, which currently hits up to 80% of its targets on the front line,” said the European Commissioner.
