Nov 3 (Reuters) – The European Commission and France’s state-backed investment bank Bpifrance announced a programme on Tuesday aimed at pairing French companies with Ukrainian defence startups, as European manufacturers seek closer ties with technology firms shaped by more than four years of full-scale war.
Ukraine’s defence industry has expanded rapidly since Russia’s 2022 invasion, with companies developing and adapting technologies at a pace that has drawn growing interest from European governments and defence manufacturers. The companies have also signed multiple cooperation agreements and joint ventures with Western peers.
• Backed by €150 million ($168 million) in EU guarantees and €13 million in annual grants, the initiative aims to create 30 partnerships between French and Ukrainian companies over the next three years
• The scheme targets sectors including drones, communications, navigation systems, space technologies and critical components
• The programme could support more than €480 million of financing, the organisers said
• Bpifrance will provide financing and support for joint projects under the programme, which is funded through the EU’s Ukraine Investment Framework
($1 = 0.8937 euros)
(Reporting by Maria Rugamer in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)
