EU Parliament Approves Deeper Defense Ties with Ukraine, Backing €1.5bn Program

European Parliament lawmakers voted to strengthen ties between the EU defense industry and Ukraine, approving a €1.5 billion program that includes €300 million for the Ukraine Support Instrument. Lawmakers cited the need to bolster European strategic autonomy as a U.S. policy shift and Russia’s unconventional warfare continue to reshape security priorities across the bloc.

The measure passed by 457 votes to 148, with 33 abstentions. EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius told legislators in Strasbourg that the package will not only help Ukraine but also allow Kyiv’s defense innovations to be integrated into European programs.

“Allowing Ukrainian participation in the EU Defence Investment Programme makes it possible to procure defense equipment in, with and for Ukraine,” Kubilius said.

Raphaël Glucksmann, an MEP from France’s S&D group, described the initiative as a step toward a more resilient and sovereign Europe by partnering with Ukraine to develop a modern military-industrial base.

Why this matters

The European Commission estimates roughly €3.4 trillion in likely defense spending across Europe over the next decade. To address that scale of demand, the Commission plans to propose increasing the EU’s long-term budget for defense and space to €131 billion.

EU defense spending this year is expected to reach about €392 billion, nearly double the level from four years ago. Officials say the new measures aim to reduce fragmentation in Europe’s defense industry, accelerate procurement, and encourage member states to source most military equipment from European suppliers unless costs, performance or delivery timelines justify foreign purchases.

Programs and incentives

The package complements a recently introduced Commission defense package designed to speed the movement of troops and heavy equipment across Europe, and an EU Defence Industry Transformation Roadmap to harmonize rules and channel investment into domestic production of weapons, vehicles, satellites, ammunition and related technologies.

Under the roadmap, EU-based defense companies can apply for tax breaks and financial incentives to fund joint projects of common interest that no single member state could build alone, such as Eastern Flank Watch, a Drone Defence Initiative, or a Space Shield. Kubilius argued that permitting Ukrainian firms to join such projects will inject additional innovation into the European defense industry.

“We shall be powerful geopolitically if we shall be strong in our defense industry — industrially independent, autonomous and much less fragmented,” Kubilius said, calling for coordinated procurement and investment across the bloc.

Before the vote, Kubilius added that the funding and integration measures are also intended to deter larger states from threatening the sovereignty of smaller neighbors, a concern rooted in recent European history.

What’s next: The approved program opens the door for Ukrainian participation in EU defense projects and signals a continued push by Brussels to build a more cohesive European defense industrial base. Member states will now work on implementation details, procurement rules and financial incentives to operationalize the roadmap and new funding lines.