EU Approves €300 Million to Deepen Defense Cooperation With Ukraine

The European Union has reached a preliminary agreement to allocate €300 million to strengthen defense cooperation with Ukraine.

These funds will comprise the total €1.5 billion in grants allocated under the European Defense Industry Program (EDIP) until 2027, according to the EU Council press service.

The October 16 preliminary agreement will also allow Ukraine to participate in European Defense Projects of Common Interest (EDPCI).

According to the report, the EDIP program aims to enhance the competitiveness and efficiency of the European Defense Technology Industrial Base (EDTIB) to increase the EU’s defense readiness.

The program will also support defense industry cooperation with Ukraine and Ukrainian companies through a specialized Support Instrument for Ukraine to facilitate its future integration into the EDTIB.

The EU Council said, “In addition, the EDIP establishes the first-ever mechanism to ensure the security of defense supplies across the European Union, as well as a legal ‘toolkit’ to facilitate long-term arms cooperation between Member States.”

Troels Lund Poulsen, Danish Minister of Defence and current president of the Council of the European Union, noted that the EDIP is key to Europe’s defense readiness.

The program will increase Europe’s ability to produce and supply critical defense equipment, ensuring a quick response to a deteriorating security situation.

“At the same time, it will deepen our partnership with Ukraine, bringing its defense industry closer to ours — to the mutual benefit of Europe and Ukraine,” Poulsen said.

On October 1, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that half of the €4 billion transferred by the European Union to Ukraine should be used to produce drones.