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Event

Securing Ukraine’s future in Europe: Ukraine’s defence industrial base opportunity

What opportunities exist for investing in Ukraine's defence industry?

Time and location
27 January 2026 09:00-12:30 Bruegel, Rue de la Charité 33, 4th floor, 1210 Brussels
Format
Public, Hybrid, On the record, Livestreamed
Contact
Anastasiia Zaitseva
Partners
Council on Foreign Relations

Speakers

Liana

Liana Fix

Senior Fellow for Europe, David Rockefeller Studies Program, Council on Foreign Relations

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Lene Mandel Vensild

Ambassador for EU’s Foreign and Security Policy (PSC representative), Danish EU Representation in Brussels, Belgium, Permanent Representation of Denmark to the EU

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Sinikka Parviainen

Senior Economist Analysis and monitoring of Russian and Ukrainian economic development, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT)

strares

Paul Stares

Senior Fellow for Conflict Prevention, Council on Foreign Relations

Lukas

Lukáš Veselý

Deputy Head of Unit for Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Accession, European Commission, DG ENEST

Agenda

Check-in & breakfast

8:30-9:00

Agenda

Welcome & Introduction

9:00-9:05
  • Paul Stares, Senior Fellow for Conflict Prevention, Council on Foreign Relations

Agenda

Opening remarks

9:05-9:30

Agenda

Session 1: Ukraine: European democracy’s affordable arsenal

9:30-10:30
  • Chair: Paul Stares, Senior Fellow for Conflict Prevention, Council on Foreign Relations
  • Heidi Crebo-Rediker, Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
  • Liana Fix, Senior Fellow for Europe, David Rockefeller Studies Program , Council on Foreign Relations
  • Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, Bruegel Senior Fellow
  • Lene Mandel Vensild, Ambassador for EU’s Foreign and Security Policy (PSC representative), Danish EU Representation in Brussels, Belgium, Permanent Representation of Denmark to the EU

A future enlarged EU, including Ukraine, should take full advantage of the lower-cost military production capabilities of Ukraine.

Agenda

Coffee break

10:30-11:00

Agenda

Session 2: The defence industrial base - A foundation to anchor Ukraine's economy and attract private investment

11:00-12:00
  • Chair: Jeromin Zettelmeyer, Bruegel Director
  • Kateryna Mykhalko, Director-General, Tech Force in UA, Ukraine
  • Sinikka Parviainen, Senior Economist Analysis and monitoring of Russian and Ukrainian economic development, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT)
  • Elina Ribakova, Bruegel Non-resident Fellow
  • Lukáš Veselý, Deputy Head of Unit for Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Accession, European Commission, DG ENEST

Security requires a strong innovative defence industrial base, and so does Ukraine's economy. A successful recovery requires private investment to ease the burden on public finances, and provide long-term economic stability, on the path to EU integration. 

Agenda

Closing remarks

12:00-12:30

Agenda

Lunch

12:30-13:00

This event was intended to engage members of the European Commission, NATO, European industry partners, investors, and others in Securing Ukraine’s Future through support of and investment in Ukraine’s highly innovative defence industrial complex. This serves as a means for Ukraine to provide for its own defence in the face of Russian aggression as well as anchor Ukraine as a future provider of low-cost weapons as Europe develops its own defence industrial base. 

Ukraine is transforming into an advanced and cost-competitive military equipment and weapons producer. Several European countries and the UK are forging joint production facilities using different national models. 

This event addressed how this fast-growing sector in Ukraine could provide high-paying jobs and attract significant numbers of displaced labour and talent back to Ukraine. 

 

This event is part of the Council Special Initiative on Securing Ukraine's Future, which is made possible by the generous support of the Sue & Edgar Wachenheim Foundation

Council on Foreign Relations

Theme
Macroeconomic policy and governance
Keyword
industrial policy investment security defence
Country
Ukraine
Language
English

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