The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine hosted a joint mission from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) and the European External Action Service (EEAS). The delegation was led by Herald Ruijters, Deputy Director-General of DG DEFIS.
The discussions focused on continued military support for Ukraine, access to European funding, expansion of joint defence production and closer cooperation with EU Member States. The parties also addressed the needs of Ukraine’s defence sector, verification and oversight mechanisms for funds provided under the Ukraine Support Loan, and cooperation within the framework of the EU-Ukraine Defence Industrial Pact.
Defence Support and Joint Production
During the meeting, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Anna Gvozdiar emphasised the importance of long-term defence support for Ukraine, presented the capabilities of Ukraine’s defence industry and outlined production priorities under the Ukraine Support Loan. The discussions also covered implementation of the Defence Industrial Pact, the Drone Deal initiative and the establishment of joint ventures.
“We are actively working with our European partners and are committed to achieving tangible results for both sides. Joint production is key to strengthening Ukraine’s defence capabilities today and ensuring Europe’s security in the future,” Anna Gvozdiar said.
The parties paid particular attention to opportunities for establishing joint production facilities in EU Member States, with the resulting weapons and equipment to be supplied to Ukraine’s Defence Forces. This approach would help increase production volumes, diversify manufacturing capacity and reduce risks associated with Russian attacks.
Another key topic was scaling up the production of unmanned systems. The Ministry of Defence and the European Commission will continue consultations on practical mechanisms for implementing joint production projects, attracting investment and developing long-term defence industrial partnerships.
Defence Needs and International Support Priorities
Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine for European Integration Sergiy Boyev presented Ukraine’s defence funding requirements for 2027 to European partners and outlined priority areas for international support.
Particular attention was given to unmanned systems, whose role on the battlefield continues to grow. Key priorities include supporting the production of Ukrainian FPV drones and medium- and long-range strike systems (middle strike and deep strike).
Transparency and Defence Procurement Reform
Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Mstyslav Banik also discussed verification, accountability and procurement approaches with the EU delegation.
The Ministry of Defence’s priorities include improving defence procurement legislation to reflect wartime realities and EU recommendations, transitioning to competitive procurement procedures and further expanding the use of electronic procurement platforms to minimise human involvement in decision-making.
“We are seeing increased competition, an expanding market and substantial cost savings. Several tenders have already been successfully completed, and deliveries to the military have begun. In this way, the Ministry of Defence, together with the Defence Procurement Agency, is building a straightforward system with zero tolerance for corruption and opaque practices, while maintaining transparency with our partners,” Mstyslav Banik said.
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine continues to expand cooperation with European partners to meet the needs of Ukraine’s Defence Forces, scale up Ukrainian defence production and strengthen the defence industrial capabilities of both Ukraine and Europe.