Ukraine's parliament ratifies two EU defence cooperation agreements
The Verkhovna Rada has ratified two agreements with the EU signed in Kyiv on 13 July 2026: one on Ukraine's participation in the European Defence Fund (bill №0390, 312 votes), and one on financing under the European Defence Industry Programme regulation (bill №0391, 317 votes). The ratifications complete the domestic procedures required for the agreements to enter into force.
Key points
- Bill №0390 on Ukraine's participation in the European Defence Fund was adopted in first reading and in full by 312 MPs on 16 September 2026.
- Bill №0391 on financing under the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) was ratified by 317 votes the same day.
- Both agreements were originally signed in Kyiv on 13 July 2026.
- The European Defence Fund supports joint EU defence research and development and strengthens the European defence technological and industrial base.
- Under the Fund, Ukrainian enterprises, design bureaus and scientific institutions are to access grant programmes and competitions on equal terms with EU companies.
- The EDIP financing agreement is designed to support the recovery, reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine's defence-technological and industrial base, with a view to its future integration into the European defence industrial base.
- Implementation is expected to help align Ukrainian defence production with NATO and EU standards and to deepen Ukraine-EU defence-industrial cooperation.
Why it matters
Completing the domestic ratification procedures unlocks Ukraine's access to the European Defence Fund's grant programmes and to financing under the European Defence Industry Programme. For Ukrainian defence companies, research institutes and design bureaus, this means the ability to compete for EU defence R&D funding on equal terms with firms from EU member states. The EDIP financing is intended to channel EU resources into rebuilding and modernising Ukraine's defence-industrial base, gradually bringing it in line with NATO and EU standards and anchoring it within the European defence-industrial ecosystem.
What happened
On 16 September 2026, Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada ratified two agreements with the European Union originally signed in Kyiv on 13 July 2026. Bill №0390, ratifying the agreement on Ukraine's participation in the European Defence Fund, was adopted in first reading and in full by 312 MPs. Bill №0391, ratifying the financing agreement under the Regulation of the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), was supported by 317 MPs. The European Defence Fund is an EU instrument that supports joint defence research and development and strengthens the European defence technological and industrial base; through it, Ukrainian enterprises, design bureaus and scientific institutions are to gain access to the Fund's grant programmes and competitions on equal terms with EU companies. The EDIP financing agreement aims to promote the recovery, reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine's defence-technological and industrial base, and to prepare it for possible future integration into the European defence-technological and industrial base. Its implementation is expected to build up Ukrainian defence-industrial capacity in line with NATO and other relevant standards, draw Ukrainian entities into joint defence projects and procurement with European partners, and provide financial support from EU funds.
Background
The European Defence Fund is an EU instrument to support joint defence research and development and to strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base. In July 2026 the European Commission and Ukraine signed a new partnership agreement in the defence industry, and the Commission launched a Ukraine-EU programme to deepen cooperation on UAV technologies and counter-measures. On 15 July 2026 the European Commission allocated an additional €1 billion to support Ukraine's UAV capabilities as part of a €90 billion support loan to Ukraine.