European Union lawmakers voted on Tuesday to strengthen defense industry cooperation between the bloc and Ukraine, at a time when U.S. peace efforts remain uncertain and Russia’s hybrid tactics continue to unsettle the 27-member union.
The European Parliament approved the plan with a vote of 457 in favor, 148 against, and 33 abstentions. The package is valued at 1.5 billion euros (about $1.7 billion), with 300 million euros (roughly $345 million) specifically earmarked for the Ukraine Support Instrument.
French S&D parliamentarian Raphaël Glucksmann said the initiative would help build “a more resilient and sovereign Europe” by teaming with Ukraine to develop an advanced military production sector. Strengthening this partnership, he explained, is essential to defending European democracies independently and effectively.
Before the vote, EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius addressed lawmakers in Strasbourg, highlighting the mutual advantages of closer cooperation. Ukraine’s defense sector, he said, relies on European support, but Europe equally stands to gain from Ukrainian innovation. Granting Ukraine access to the EU Defence Investment Program, he noted, will enable the procurement of military equipment not only within Ukraine but also for its benefit and through its industry.
EU military spending is projected to reach around 392 billion euros (more than $450 billion) this year—nearly twice the amount spent prior to Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Meanwhile, the current U.S. administration has shifted its security priorities toward the American homeland and Asia, signaling that Europeans must be prepared to assume greater responsibility for their own defense and for Ukraine.
Originally formed to prevent future conflict after two world wars, the EU functioned for decades primarily as an economic partnership. Russia’s war has altered that mindset, prompting the bloc to take on a more assertive stance in defense and security matters.
The European Commission estimates that defense expenditures could reach approximately 3.4 trillion euros (about $4 trillion) over the next ten years. In response, it plans to propose increasing long-term funding for European defense and space programs to 131 billion euros (about $153 billion). Kubilius emphasized that Europe can only become a true geopolitical force if it strengthens its defense capabilities and fully develops its defense industry—reducing fragmentation and reliance on outside suppliers.
Member states are being encouraged to source most of their military equipment from within the EU, turning to non-European suppliers only when price, performance, or production speed makes it necessary. The defense roadmap also offers tax incentives and financial support for major collaborative projects—such as Eastern Flank Watch, the Drone Defense Initiative, and Space Shield—that no single nation could undertake alone.
Allowing Ukrainian industry to join these projects, Kubilius argued, will help weave Ukraine’s military technology into Europe’s broader defense framework.
Just last week, the European Commission announced new plans to accelerate the deployment of troops and equipment across the continent and introduced the EU Defense Industry Transformation Roadmap to streamline regulations and boost production of arms, vehicles, satellites, ammunition, and other critical assets.
Kubilius concluded by stressing that the initiative aims to prevent powerful states from dominating smaller ones. Citing Lithuania’s 50-year Soviet occupation, he said the experience shaped his conviction: Europe must be strong, and a strong Europe depends on a robust and unified defense sector.
