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Why Europe's defense industry is learning from Ukraine
Europe is entering a crucial phase in the decision-making process regarding defense: the question is no longer whether to increase spending, but rather, how to do so. The European Defense Industry Program (EDIP) aims to unify the efforts of EU countries and Ukraine, enabling them to produce weapons faster and close deficits without relinquishing national control.
Michael Druckman, the founder and managing director of Trident Forward and a member of the Ukraine Cities Partnership (UCP) advisory board, writes about this in his Novyny.LIVE column.
How Ukraine influences the European defense industry
Michael Druckman notes that the European defense debate is approaching a point of no return. In his opinion, the discussion has moved beyond whether to increase spending and now focuses on how to allocate funds and which partnerships to form.
The expert explains that critics are now expressing reservations about the EU's role in the security sector, particularly the SAFE and EDIP initiatives. Skeptics argue that Brussels is "taking over" national defense budgets and undermining state sovereignty.
However, Druckman points out that the European Defense Industry Program (EDIP) does not centralize control. Rather, it stitches together dispersed national industrial ecosystems into a single production and procurement framework. In this framework, speed of decision-making and scale of production become key competitive advantages.
He believes the crucial task is to accomplish this without eroding state sovereignty and to define Ukraine's role clearly. Ukraine offers a unique experience in frontline operations, not cheap labor.
Why EDIP matters to the EU and Ukraine
Drukman, an expert, emphasizes that for decades, the European defense industry has relied on national "champions": These include French companies Dassault and Naval Group, German company Rheinmetall, Italian company Leonardo, and Swedish company Saab, among others. Therefore, their cautious attitude toward the EU's growing role is quite natural.
However, while this reliance on national champions remains strong, the European Defense Industrial Program (EDIP) does not take away powers. Instead, it weaves them into a common structure of collective procurement, unified standards, projects of common European interest, and a direct link between production capacity and real orders.
"This is not another 'Eurofund,' but a shift to a continental mass, where technology is backed by pace and scale," Drukman notes.
Ukrainian factor without self-deception
Michael Druckman, a member of the Ukraine Cities Partnership (UCP) advisory board, states that one of the most significant innovations of the EDIP program is the potential for Ukraine's systemic integration.
Meanwhile, opponents reduce the discussion to "cheaper production" and fears of displacement.
However, according to the expert, Ukrainian companies offer something entirely different: rapid iteration cycles of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), adaptation to electronic warfare, deep integration of software and hardware, and strict production discipline shaped by war.
Clearly, front-line feedback and rapid refinement in Ukraine are combined with the scale, certification, and export potential of European prime contractors.
Druckman says that Ukraine's absence from EDIP does not protect the EU but rather cuts it off from a key "testing ground" for modern combat experience.
How EDIP solves three systemic problems
- It combines production and procurement. Unlike programs that focus primarily on research, the EDIP relies on capacity building, sustainable supply chains, and a common contractual framework.
- It breaks down fragmentation. Having parallel artillery systems, different types of air defense systems, armored vehicles, and drones multiplies costs and slows down the replenishment of stocks. Common standards and "projects of common interest" accelerate interoperability and scalability.
- It fixes costs within the EU. As defense budgets grow, it becomes crucial that these funds stimulate the European economy while creating opportunities for Ukrainian producers in certain market segments.
Ukraine in EDIP since 2026
Drukman explains that Ukraine's participation in the European Defense Industry Program (EDIP) is not "dumping," but rather a capacity multiplier.
He says that Ukrainian companies contribute front-line validation and serial discipline to the EDIP, while European companies contribute long production runs, certification, integration, and export channels. Together, these contributions radically shorten the "pilot to series" path — exactly what Europe needs in the next ten years.
What's next for EDIP and Ukraine's defense industry
The expert notes that the value of EDIP lies not in "centralized planning," but in recognizing a simple fact: Defense is an industrial race.
He explains that the question is no longer whether to integrate, but rather, how to do so consciously, mutually beneficially, and with a long-term perspective that includes a future member: Ukraine.
Druckman emphasizes that, by 2026, such integration with transparent rules and symmetrical benefits will enable Europe—and the euro area in particular—to maintain its global competitiveness.
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