Germany
Germany Expands Defense Industry Cooperation With Ukraine
Germany and Ukraine plan to expand joint defense production, including drone projects, as Berlin seeks closer industrial cooperation with Kyiv.
Ukraine
Weekly Briefing
CEE & SEE Defense Weekly Briefing: August 16–21, 2026
This week: a Nord Stream sabotage suspect arrested in Croatia, arson at a Ukraine-linked drone maker in Estonia, Hungary reviews a $4.2B 4iG defense deal, and a CEE-wide cyberattack wave. Plus two must-read analyses.
Ukraine
Ukraine Arms Probe Traces Funds to Croatian Zubak Family
Ukraine's $36.6 million ammunition probe reaches Matias Zubak, son of Croatian arms dealer Zvonko Zubak, and Bosnia's Vitezit explosives plant.
Ukraine
Leonardo Opens Ukraine Subsidiary for Defense R&D Expansion
Leonardo has established a Kyiv subsidiary focused on defense R&D, expanding its direct presence in Ukraine as European industry deepens local cooperation.
Analysis
Russian Plots Put European Defense Executives at Risk
The suspected Russian plot against Donaustahl CEO Stefan Thumann exposes a wider security risk for European defense executives supporting Ukraine.
Croatia
Ukrainian Nord Stream Sabotage Suspect Arrested in Croatia
Croatia arrested a Ukrainian diver suspected of helping sabotage the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022, opening a new route for extradition to Germany.
Bulgaria
Russia Sabotage Theory Raised After Bulgaria EMCO Explosions
A former EMCO technical director has raised possible Russian sabotage after explosions at a Bulgarian ammunition plant, while investigators say all causes remain open.
Lithuania
Ukraine’s DEMZ to Build Ammunition Plant in Lithuania
Ukraine’s DEMZ plans to invest in ammunition production in Lithuania, adding another Ukrainian manufacturer to the Baltic state’s expanding defense industry.
Ukraine
Fire Point CEO: From Architect to Ukraine's Missile Builder
Iryna Terekh left architecture to run Fire Point. In a new interview she details the FP-9 ballistic missile, a Diehl Defense tie-up, and plans for a satellite constellation.
Estonia
Estonia Directs €2.34B SAFE Loan to Air Defense, Ukraine
Estonia will use a €2.34 billion EU SAFE loan for air defense, military vehicles, ammunition, and unmanned systems for Ukraine through 2030.
Serbia
Zelensky Expected in Serbia as Belgrade and Kyiv Deepen Ties
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Serbia in what would be his first trip to Belgrade since Russia's full-scale invasion. The visit could signal a further expansion of economic and political cooperation between the two countries.
Lithuania
Lithuania Advances Local Production of Ukrainian Drones
Lithuania is moving to localize production of Ukrainian-designed drones under a bilateral Drone Deal, deepening defense-industrial cooperation through technology transfer and joint manufacturing while strengthening NATO's eastern flank.