The team of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense held a meeting with a European Union delegation headed by Matti Maasikas, Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service (EEAS).
A representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate briefed EU partners on the current battlefield situation, Russia’s plans, and the expansion of its defense-industrial complex.
One of the key topics was the effectiveness of sanctions imposed on Russia. According to First Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, analysis of downed Russian missiles shows that many components are still of Western origin.
“We understand the scheme by which the Russian forces obtain these components through third countries. To prevent this, sanctions must be stricter. Countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia must also control and monitor their enforcement,” Havryliuk emphasized.
The parties also reviewed the status of joint projects, Ukraine’s participation in the SAFE initiative, and the Build with Ukraine program, which enables partners to access Ukrainian technologies in the future.
An additional focus was the financing needs of Ukraine’s defense industry. The EEAS representative stressed that Ukraine will receive €6 billion by the end of the year for drone production, in line with the recent statement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
