EU and Parliament Agree on ReArm Europe Plan — Ukraine to Join European Defense Fund
The EU Council and European Parliament have reached a landmark agreement to accelerate and coordinate investments in Europe’s defense sector under the “ReArm Europe” plan — with Ukraine officially joining the European Defence Fund.
BRUSSELS — The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement to boost defense-related investments within the EU budget as part of the “ReArm Europe” initiative — a strategic push to strengthen Europe’s military readiness and technological base by 2030.
A key outcome of the agreement is the inclusion of Ukraine in the European Defence Fund (EDF) — a historic step that underscores the EU’s long-term commitment to Kyiv’s security, resilience, and integration into Europe’s defence industrial and technological ecosystem.
“We need to maximize our investments in defense and dual-use technologies to prepare for the future – together in Europe and with Ukraine,” said Troels Lund Poulsen, Denmark’s Minister for Defence.
The deal, which modifies five key EU regulations, aims to make defense investments faster, more flexible, and better coordinated. It amends the Digital Europe Programme, the European Defence Fund, the Connecting Europe Facility, Horizon Europe, and the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP).
According to Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre, the agreement sends “a strong message that Europe is determined to invest in its security and remove all hurdles in this direction.” She added that opening EU programmes to defense-related investments is a “necessary step towards a stronger, more resilient, and more capable Europe able to defend itself by 2030.”
The agreement expands EU financial support within Horizon Europe to include dual-use and defense-related companies — a significant policy shift aimed at bridging the gap between civilian innovation and military application.
By associating Ukraine to the European Defence Fund, the EU has created new pathways for Ukrainian companies and research institutions to participate in collaborative defence R&D projects. This move strengthens both Europe’s and Ukraine’s industrial capabilities and aligns with the EU’s broader vision of integrating Ukraine into its long-term defense and security framework.
The ReArm Europe plan, part of the EU’s post-Ukraine-war defense acceleration strategy, is expected to mobilize unprecedented levels of investment into production, innovation, and strategic autonomy across Europe’s Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB).
