EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said that while Ukraine needs the EU, the bloc needs Kyiv’s defense innovations ‘even more.’
The European Union proposed deeper integration of the bloc’s defense industry with Ukraine on Nov. 25 while negotiations continue over U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war between Kyiv and Moscow.
Ukraine’s defense industry “needs us,” EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, “but we need Ukraine’s defense innovations even more.”
He said that allowing Ukrainian access to the EU’s Defense Investment Program (EDIP) “makes it possible to procure defense equipment in, with and for Ukraine.”
Kubilius made the comments ahead of EU lawmakers voting to approve a 1.5 billion euro ($1.7 billion) program, with 300 million euros ($345 million) slated for the Ukraine Support Instrument.
The legislation was adopted by 457 votes to 148, with 33 abstentions, and now must go to the member states for formal endorsement before it takes effect.
“This program represents a major step forward for the security of the European continent and the development of our defense industry,” said French MEP François-Xavier Bellamy.
“After decades of dangerous dependencies that threatened the sovereignty of our democracies and the protection of our countries, the EDIP program will reverse the reliance on imports that prevailed in Europe.”
Defense spending in the EU is expected to total around 381 billion euros (more than $440 billion) this year, bringing the bloc’s spending to 2.1 percent of GDP for the first time since data collection began, according to official EU data.
Member states are being urged to buy much of their military equipment within the bloc, working mostly with European suppliers—in some cases with EU assistance, to slash prices and speed up orders.
Under the Preserving Peace—Defense Readiness Roadmap 2030, EU nations should only purchase equipment from abroad when costs, performance, or supply delays make it preferable.
Kubilius said that EU-based defense companies can apply for tax breaks and other financial incentives to fund so-called European defense projects of common interest that “no member state can ever build alone, but that will protect the whole of Europe,” like Eastern Flank Watch, the Drone Defense Initiative, or the Space Shield.
Ukrainian companies participating in these projects “allows us to inject Ukrainian military innovation in the European defense industry,” he added.
The move comes as negotiations continue over Washington’s proposed peace plan for Ukraine, which emerged this past week.
By Guy Birchall
