Part of the EU’s €800 billion defense plan will be used to support Ukraine

European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius said that Ukraine will directly benefit from the ambitious €800 billion ReArm Europe defense plan. The plan aims to strengthen European defense capabilities amid growing threats, but also includes tools to enhance military support for Ukraine in the event of a full-scale war with Russia.

The structure of the ReArm Europe plan:

  • €650 billion – the expected increase in defense spending by EU member states.

  • €150 billion – loans to be provided for defense procurement within the framework of European cooperation.

Kubilius noted that although these loans are available only to EU member states, they can be used for joint procurement with Ukraine. In particular, the funds can be used to order products of the Ukrainian defense industry, which will be used for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This means that for the first time, Ukrainian arms manufacturers will be able to work on equal terms with EU defense companies in joint projects. This is important, because Ukrainian manufacturers are maximizing their potential, for example, the production of missiles, which has increased by 700% in recent years.

In addition, out of the total €650 billion to be spent on national defense programs of the member states, part of the funds may also be used to help Ukraine. However, this depends on the decisions of individual EU governments.

The potential of the Ukrainian defense industry

Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin said that the Ukrainian defense industry has made significant progress, especially in the production of all types of drones, from reconnaissance to strike systems. At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine can produce not only drones, but also a full range of modern weapons: artillery, shells, armored vehicles, missile weapons, electronic warfare, and more.

Ukraine’s accession to European defense funding mechanisms creates a unique window of opportunity for both the Armed Forces and the development of the national defense industry, which is becoming an integrated element of European security.