European Parliament will consider Ukraine’s inclusion in European Defense Fund by end of 2025
A draft EU legislative act providing for Ukraine's inclusion in the European Defense Fund will be put to a vote in the European Parliament by the end of 2025.
This was stated by Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Security and Defense, according to Censor.NET, citing European Truth.
"Our committee is working quickly, and I am pleased that we plan to vote on the EU Defence Omnibus Package by the end of this year so that we are ready for the next stage of the EU's agenda in the field of defence," said Strack-Zimmermann.
European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius recalled that the previously agreed defense mini-package opens up the possibility for Ukraine to become an associate member of the European Defense Fund.
Ukraine's accession to the EEA
The European Parliament clarified that the project envisages increasing funding for defense investments through changes to existing EU programs—STEP, Horizon Europe, EDF, Digital Europe, and CEF—within the ReArm Europe plan. "MEPs insisted that the legislation should allow for broader support for Ukraine's defense industry and guarantee its participation in the European Defense Fund," the institution emphasized.
According to the Danish Presidency of the EU, Ukraine's accession to the EDA will open up new opportunities for Ukrainian companies to participate in joint research and development in the field of defense. The fund's budget for 2021-2027 is €7.3 billion.
