Ukrainian Weapons for Europe: Von der Leyen Calls on EU to Buy Ukrainian Defense Products

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on European Union countries to purchase weapons directly from Ukraine.

She made this statement during the Rome Conference on the Recovery of Ukraine, according to Sky TG24.

During her speech, von der Leyen emphasized that Ukrainian manufacturers have modern, high-quality weapons systems that can be delivered quickly and inexpensively. At the same time, their production capacities are currently only 60% used.

“This is exactly what EU countries need. Our member states can use SAFE loans to purchase directly from Ukraine. This is beneficial for Europe and a critically important source of income and strengthening of the defense sector for Ukraine,” said the President of the European Commission.

She also assured that the European Union’s support for Ukraine remains unwavering at all levels — military, financial, and political.

“We will always stand by Ukraine — for as long as it takes,” von der Leyen emphasized.

SAFE (Security Action for Europe) is a large-scale EU program aimed at strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities through investments in arms production.

The program provides billions of euros in concessional loans backed by the EU budget. The loan has a maturity of 45 years and a grace period of 10 years.

The SAFE initiative was proposed by the European Commission in March 2025. Under its terms, member states can apply to the European Commission for loans to finance defense projects, provided that at least 65% of the components of the products come from EU countries, Ukraine, or the European Economic Area.

It should be noted that after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the export of military products from Ukraine was banned in order to meet the needs of its own Armed Forces.

With the state and charitable foundations as their only customers, Ukrainian manufacturers often face short-term contracts, delayed payments, and a lack of long-term guarantees necessary for the purchase and testing of expensive components.

Von der Leyen’s call could be a catalyst for change.