Brussels – EU defense fund national plans are in, and three‑quarters feature measures and projects with Ukraine’s participation. Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius unveiled the plan with great fanfare, stressing the “historic commitment” by governments to SAFE, the 150‑billion euros tool to revive heavy industry.
November 30 was the deadline for submitting national plans, which served as the basis for applying for financing already agreed (for Italy, this amounts to EUR 14.9 billion). None were missing from the roll call, and 15 out of 19 plans include funding for Kyiv or participation of the Ukrainian industry. “We cannot say which four Member States have not foreseen support for Ukraine for reasons of confidentiality,” Thomas Regnier, a spokesman for the EU executive responsible for the dossier, clarified.
The European Commission will now evaluate the plans, which will then go to the EU Council. Should the Council also give its approval, then the Commission can start disbursing the funds. Further tranches will be released based on progress in the field, documented through reports and assessments, the spokesperson added.
Through his X account, Kubilius clarified, however, that 15 national plans that include funding for Ukraine are “more than expected” and amount to “billions of euros, not millions.” The commissioner also said, without going into specifics, that “the majority of member states” will include projects in four of the nine main areas proposed by the EU in the White Paper for Defence and confirmed in the 2030 strategy, namely the “Drone Defence Initiative, Eastern Flank Watch, the Air Shield, and the Space Shield.”
Brussels is satisfied with the arrival of these plans. “A year ago,” Kubilius recalls, “President von der Leyen tasked my team and me with a clear mission: to strengthen EU defence readiness by investing more, together, and at a European level.” On this, “we are working at full speed” through “concrete policies, bold initiatives, and stronger cooperation.”
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
