The European Commission has expressed its support for the political agreement reached yesterday between the European Parliament and the Council, which enables Ukraine to be associated with the €7.3 billion European Defence Fund (EDF). This significant development represents a substantial advancement in EU-Ukraine defence cooperation, contributing to the enhancement of Europe’s collective security and industrial resilience.
Furthermore, this agreement facilitates Ukraine’s gradual integration into the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB). It is part of a comprehensive legislative package designed to increase defence-related investments within the EU budget, commonly referred to as the “mini-omnibus.”
“This agreement is a powerful signal of Europe’s determination to invest together in its security and industrial strength. By opening the European Defence Fund to Ukraine, we are deepening our partnership, learning from innovative Ukrainian defence industry and building a stronger, more resilient European defence industry together. This is about ensuring that Europe — and Ukraine with it — have the capabilities they need to defend peace, freedom and stability in the years ahead,” said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.
This initiative will enhance the flexibility of EU programmes and ensure they are better aligned to support the EDTIB, as well as foster innovation and infrastructure, which include areas such as military mobility and dual-use technologies.
The agreement also plays a crucial role in implementing the ReArm Europe Plan. It serves as a direct complement to the Mid-Term Review of the Cohesion Policy and the Defence Readiness Omnibus. It marks a pivotal milestone in strengthening cooperation with Ukraine and its defence industrial ecosystem.
The co-legislators have provisionally agreed to extend the scope of Support for the Transition to the European Defence Action Plan (STEP) to include defence technologies, enabling the EIC Accelerator to support both dual-use and defence innovations. The Digital Europe Programme (DEP) will also expand its focus to incorporate dual-use applications. At the same time, the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) will be adjusted to facilitate investments in military mobility better.
Moreover, the regulation will amend the EDF to enhance support for the development of the European defence industry and provide more agile assistance to disruptive technologies in the defence sector.
This new legislation complements the Commission’s Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the Cohesion Policy, which took effect on 19 September 2025, and includes a range of flexibilities to encourage Member States to undertake meaningful reprogramming toward various priorities, including defence and competitiveness.
