Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology – Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Mykhailo Fedorov, called on European partners to strengthen cooperation, noting that the launch of the Brave1 cluster has already resulted in over 3,200 registered developments, and in the past three years, Ukraine has seen the emergence of more than 500 defense sector manufacturers — one of the highest numbers globally.
“With its technologies tested on the battlefield, Ukraine is capable of becoming the foundation of the European security system. Our experience, combined with European capabilities, technologies, and support, can deliver innovative solutions. Together, we can create new standards of defense that ensure stability, security, and peace.”
Member of the European Parliament, Michał Dworczyk, emphasized that cooperation with Ukraine’s defense industry can greatly contribute to the innovation of the entire European defense sector.
“For this purpose, the EU has created a defense industry strategy and the EDIP program, which aims to develop a long-term mechanism to strengthen the defense industry and establish a European defense-industrial complex. At the same time, we must support startups as well as our small and medium-sized enterprises. It’s also important to allocate a fair share of funds to NATO’s eastern flank countries. However, the most critical issue remains funding. The current budget of €1.5 billion is symbolic and doesn’t meet the real needs.”
Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for Digital Transformation, Kateryna Chernohorenko, noted the high level of international interest in Ukrainian developments, emphasizing that what is being developed now in Ukraine will determine how the best armies in the world fight in the near future.
“We are building two coalitions within the Ramstein format — the IT Coalition and the Drone Coalition. Member countries strengthen one another by exchanging combat experience and cutting-edge technologies. While we receive UAV assistance from our partners, those same partners are also enhancing their technological capabilities, using Ukraine as a benchmark. Today, Ukraine has over **500 drone manufacturers**, capable of producing more than **3 million drones of various types per year**. This capacity is only growing, thanks to international investment interest, joint ventures, and global tenders. The world’s eyes are on our innovations and our battlefield.”
Oleksandr Kubrakov, Co-founder of the “We Build Ukraine” Foundation, stated that with targeted investment, the defense sector can achieve long-term economic and industrial development, in line with Ukraine’s Economic Transformation Strategy developed by BCG in partnership with the Foundation.
“Ukraine already has every opportunity to become a European technology hub, integrated into Western innovation networks with localized joint production and long-term commitments. At the same time, together with our partners, we must align our industrial projects, defense production plans, and develop a comprehensive understanding of supply chains to ensure continental security.”
Chairwoman of “We Build Ukraine”, Oleksandra Azarkhina, who moderated the event, added that victory for the free world will only be possible when we have sufficient defense capabilities to protect ourselves at any time.
“Together with partners and like-minded individuals from both governmental and civic sectors in Ukraine and the EU, we must work on creating a European defense-industrial alliance to enhance collective defense capabilities, coordinate supply chains between Ukraine and the EU, prevent critical components from reaching hostile countries, and launch joint industrial initiatives to strengthen the industrial base of both Europe and Ukraine.”
