Ukrainian defence technologies to be presented at EDIF in the Hague

On 25 September, The Hague will host the European Defence Innovation Forum, where the governments of the Netherlands and Ukraine will join forces to strengthen defence-industrial cooperation. The event will bring together government representatives, investors, leading European and Ukrainian defence companies, research institutions, and startups. Defender Media is the forum’s media partner.

Honorary speakers and participants include the Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, Ruben Brekelmans, the Commissioner for Military Production, Jan Christian Dicke, and the Director of the Netherlands Association of Defence and Security Industries, Hans Geigen. The Ukrainian side will be represented by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and a delegation of 50 innovators and manufacturers.

Participants in the event will be able to explore practical opportunities for joint production, localisation of production and partnership models. The Dutch side is interested in testing developments in real time and under combat conditions to create and supply new-generation defence systems. Dutch innovation agencies and government institutions will share their experience in financing, building infrastructure and providing long-term support for defence companies and start-ups with dual-use solutions.

The forum programme will include presentations by companies from Ukraine and the Netherlands with experience in developing and implementing solutions for the front, offering perspectives on scaling and addressing certification and access to contracts.

The event is organised by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Netherlands, DeltaQuad and VN Strategies with the support of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the Netherlands Association of Defence and Security Industries (NIDV), Regional Development Agencies (ROM), the Municipality of The Hague and other public and private institutions.

It is also worth noting that the Netherlands previously provided Ukraine with a €2 billion financing package, including €500 million for the implementation of the Drone Line project.