The European Commission will invest €910 million in the European Defence Fund (EDF) as part of its 2024 plan, the press office of the EU executive said on 30 April.
The investment in the defence industry, the European Commission specified, will be aimed at bridging key capability gaps, such as troop mobility and drone defence, through “innovation and cooperation in European science and industry”.
“In addition, for the first time, the Ukrainian defence industry may be involved in EDF projects,” the report says.
The Commission adds that the enhanced cooperation between the Ukrainian and European defence industries builds on the work of the EU Defence Innovation Office in Kiev to further integrate Ukraine into the European defence industrial base.
“The selected proposals support the development of critical capabilities, such as air and missile defence systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, which will enable European armed forces to respond to new threats and protect our citizens, whether by strengthening our collective defence or by supporting our partners, such as Ukraine, in their efforts to defend themselves against foreign aggression,” the commentary by Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said.
According to the European Commission, the fourth revision of the EDF has attracted “unprecedented interest” from EU industry and research organisations. A total of 299 proposals were submitted by 625 companies from 25 EU member states or Norway.
Among the selected projects, more than 360 million euros were allocated to 39 research projects and another 539 million to 23 capacity development projects.
The Washington Post recently quoted an unnamed European official as saying that European countries are considering increasing support for Ukraine’s defence industrial complex (DIC) instead of direct arms supplies.
In January 2025, the European Commission adopted a five-year work programme under the European Defence Fund (EDF), allocating 1.065 billion euros for joint defence research and development projects.
The EU established its own defence fund in 2017.