The Council of the European Union has officially approved legislative changes aimed at stimulating defense investments and implementing the ReArm strategy for Europe’s rearmament. The new provisions create opportunities for Ukrainian companies to engage in joint defense research and development alongside European partners.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Opportunities for Ukrainian Enterprises
The updated rules allow Ukrainian economic entities to participate in projects of the European Defense Fund. This paves the way for collaboration in defense technologies, joint innovations, and the development of cutting-edge solutions to strengthen European security.
“Among other things, the new rules allow Ukraine to establish connections with the European Defense Fund, thereby creating new opportunities for Ukrainian economic entities to join joint defense research and development projects of the EU in the future,” the statement reads.
This step reflects the European Union’s commitment to supporting the security, resilience, and gradual integration of Ukraine into the European defense and technological industrial base.
Key Programs and Prospects
The EU Council’s decision includes amendments to five key programs: “Digital Europe,” the European Defense Fund, the Connecting Europe Facility, the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform, and the Horizon Europe program. The aim is to utilize these programs more effectively to support the defense sector and stimulate innovation.
Additionally, the new regulation enhances legal mechanisms to accelerate and coordinate defense investments within the EU. This aligns with the repeated calls from the European Council to strengthen funding for defense technologies and develop the defense industrial and technological base in the face of growing geopolitical challenges.
As a reminder, the “ReArm Europe” plan, which aims to increase defense spending, was presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in March 2025. In September, the European Commission announced the preparation of a roadmap within the “Readiness 2030” strategy, which aims to enhance Europe’s defense capabilities by 2030.