Last week saw the recently inaugurated EU Defence Innovation Office (EUDIO) in Kyiv represented in several high-level events, which served to promote international defence industry activities in Ukraine to great effect.
On 1-4 October 2024, EUDIO participated in the Defence Industry Forum, Field Demonstrators of the Ukrainian Defence Industry, and the Defence Tech Valley event, which were organised by Brave1. Brave 1 is the platform that was launched by the Government of Ukraine with the objective of promoting collaboration between all stakeholders of the defence-tech industry. In order to achieve this, Brave 1 provides them with the necessary organisational, informational, and financial support for defence-tech projects in Ukraine.
On the first day of the Defence Tech Valley, Martin Joesaar, EUDIO’s Programme Officer, addressed a workshop session devoted to the topic of expanding opportunities for defence innovators. Mr Joesaar provided the participants with an overview of the activities undertaken by EUDIO and of the current possibilities available under the framework of the European Defence Fund (EDF) to to Ukrainian investors, international developers of innovative solutions, and military representatives. On the second day of the Defence Tech Valley, a panel discussion was held on the topic of “Global Defence Tech Investment trends”. During this discussion, recent and upcoming development of the European Defence Fund, as well as insights on the cooperation plans with Ukraine, were shared.
The week was a valuable opportunity for insightful meetings that will prove instrumental in fostering an even stronger cooperation between EU and Ukrainian entities in the upcoming months and years. Furthermore, the two-day summit demonstrated the value of EUDIO as a key initiative in fostering enhanced defence industrial collaboration between the European Union and Ukraine. It also represented a significant milestone in the advancement of the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) which was adopted in March 2024.
Background information
EUDIO, which was inaugurated on September 20, 2024, in the context of Commission President von der Leyen’s 8th visit to Kyiv and in the presence of DEFIS Director-General Timo Pesonen, is a joint venture involving the European External Action Service and the European Commission’s Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space (or involving the EEAS and European Commission’s DG DEFIS). It commenced operations in early September 2024 with the aim to foster cross-border cooperation between the Ukrainian Defence Technological and Industrial Base (DTIB) and its European counterpart, further solidifying EU-Ukraine defence ties.
Details
- Publication date
- 8 October 2024