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EU approves $1.7 billion defense program to boost industry, integrate Ukraine

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EU approves $1.7 billion defense program to boost industry, integrate Ukraine
European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius talks to the media on June 25, 2025, in Brussels. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)

The European Commission approved a 1.5 billion euro ($1.7 billion) work program on March 30 under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), including funding to integrate Ukraine's defense industry into the EU's industrial base.

The initiative aims to strengthen Europe's defense capabilities by boosting production, expanding cooperation with Ukraine, and improving joint procurement.

"Now, Member States, Norway, and as a first for an EU defence industrial program Ukraine and their industries can seize funding opportunities to strengthen defense cooperation and ramp up production," European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.

More than 700 million euros ($800 million) will be allocated to increase production of key defense equipment, including counter-drone systems, missiles, and ammunition.

Of that amount, 260 million euros ($300 million) under EDIP's Ukraine Support Instrument will help rebuild and modernize Ukraine's defense industry through joint projects expanding production in both Ukraine and Europe.

The program, adopted in December 2025, is part of broader EU efforts to boost defense readiness. It provides 1.5 billion euros in grants for 2026–2027.

The first round of proposals will be published on the EU's tenders portal starting March 31.

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Tim Zadorozhnyy

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Tim Zadorozhnyy is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent covering foreign policy, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and political developments across Europe and Russia. He studied International Relations and European Studies at Lazarski University and Coventry University. Tim began his journalism career in Odesa in 2022 as a reporter for a local television channel. He later spent a year and a half at the Belarusian independent media outlet NEXTA, first as a news anchor and later as a managing editor. He is fluent in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

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