EU to establish innovation office in Kyiv to boost Ukrainian startups and defense sector – Borrell
Josep Borrell. Photo: Kristin Olsson/TT News Agency via Reuters
The EU will open an innovation office in Kyiv at the end of the year to promote the growth of Ukrainian startups and defense companies.
This was stated by EU High Representative Josep Borrell today in Brussels during a speech to the participants of the EU-Ukraine Defense Industry Forum, according to Ukrinform.
"The cooperation we want to support today should go both ways. European defense systems have much to offer, but they also have a lot to learn from Ukraine. We have to structurally build up the capabilities of our defense industry, which is a key factor in a war of attrition like this," Borrell said.
"That is why we have just presented the first European (defense) industry strategy. We proposed to begin immediate work on integrating Ukrainian defense companies into the EU defense industry system. We have to integrate Ukrainian defense capabilities, industrially, with our… Our ability to deliver more and faster missiles, artillery ammunition, and air defenses is a matter of life and death for thousands of civilians and military personnel in Ukraine. It is also about our security, which is at stake in this," the high representative of the EU emphasized.
According to him, such integration means, in particular, developing a joint ordering system between European and Ukrainian defense enterprises. The forum, which is taking place today in Brussels, should identify concrete opportunities for joint initiatives involving Ukrainian and European companies to increase defense production in Ukraine, help it in rearmament efforts, and finance this process, Borrell said.
He noted that such work had already begun, and several European companies had recently become participants in joint ventures in Ukraine, which allowed, for example, the delivery of equipment repair and maintenance capabilities and artillery ammunition production closer to the front.
"We need to move on. We are opening an innovation office in Kyiv at the end of the year to support the growth of Ukrainian startups and defense companies. We associate the European Defense Agency with this "hub," particularly in the field of autonomous systems for military logistics. But funding is the key in all these efforts," the high representative of the EU emphasized.
He reminded that the member states created a new aid package for Ukraine in the amount of 5 billion euros within the framework of the European Peace Fund.
"Once member states agree to utilize the funds from blocked Russian assets, they will be channeled towards addressing Ukraine's pressing military requirements and directly benefit the Ukrainian defense sector. That is my definite intent. These resources must be funneled to Ukraine, which has demonstrated its capability to produce weaponry on its own territory independently," Borrell emphasized.
He called on the involved states and defense enterprises to be "more creative" in delivering and providing military capabilities to Ukraine. As Borrell noted, a country like Denmark sets an example in this context by investing directly in the Ukrainian defense industry, which is precisely the way to move forward.
Borrell said that member states should also consider purchasing military equipment from Ukrainian companies or Ukrainian-European joint ventures.
"In this war, we need to be innovative, including with the equipment Ukraine needs. If Ukraine can produce the necessary equipment, let's purchase it from them and support their local production by providing financial resources. This is a practical approach that should be a central aspect of our industrial partnership," added the high representative of the EU.
For reference:
As reported, on May 6, the EU-Ukraine Defense Industry Forum took place in Brussels, where more than 350 participants, including representatives of government organizations and European businesses, gathered. The main goal of the event is to further support and integrate the Ukrainian defense-industrial complex into the structure of the European defense industry in order to meet Ukraine's immediate needs in weapons and military equipment and increase the capabilities of European defense production.
