ASD launches Ukraine working group to strengthen defence industry cooperation

On 8 July, ASD held the inaugural meeting of its Working Group on Ukraine (UAWG), an initiative to strengthen cooperation between European and Ukrainian defence industries, following the Memorandum of Understanding signed between ASD and Ukraine's Ministry of Strategic Industries in May 2025.

The newly established UAWG brings together European defence industry stakeholders to operationalise the Memorandum of Understanding between ASD and Ukraine's Ministry of Strategic Industries; tackle practical challenges to closer industrial cooperation; follow and support Ukraine-related strands of EU defence initiatives; and maintain an open channel for ongoing dialogue with all relevant stakeholders.

The working group's inaugural meeting welcomed key Ukrainian representatives, demonstrating the commitment from both sides to translate the May 2025 MoU into concrete action. ASD was honoured to welcome Davyd Aloian (Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries for European Integration), The working group's inaugural meeting welcomed key Ukrainian representatives, demonstrating the commitment from both sides to translate the May 2025 MoU into concrete action. ASD was honoured to welcome Davyd Aloian (Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries for European Integration), and representatives from the Ministry of Strategic Industries and Ukrainian Defence Industry JSC (formerly Ukroboronprom), with valuable support from the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union.

The UAWG builds directly on the momentum created by the MoU signed on 12 May 2025 at the EU-Ukraine Defence Industry Forum in Brussels between Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Herman Smetanin,  and ASD Secretary General Jan Pie. That agreement established a framework to jointly promote the common interests of Ukrainian industries and ASD members, foster cooperation and partnerships between Ukrainian defence companies and ASD members, and facilitate the involvement of Ukrainian companies in industrial consortia under relevant EU programmes such as the European Defence Fund or Horizon Europe.

The working group represents a practical mechanism to deliver on the vision outlined by ASD Secretary General Jan Pie earlier this year: “Against the background of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and its population, the European defence industry plays a key role to back up the declared commitments by EU and NATO members to support Ukraine as long as it takes in its fight for territorial integrity and self-determination … ASD – as the voice of the European defence industry – reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and our will to support its efforts to develop its defence industry and to integrate it into the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. I am convinced that our cooperation will be mutually beneficial and contribute to the security of Ukraine and Europe as a whole.”

The UAWG will continue to meet regularly, providing a structured platform for advancing the three-year MoU and building the foundations for long-term European–Ukrainian defence industry cooperation.