PARTNERING WITH UKRAINE | Rearming Europe through defence industrial cooperation

"In the longer run, defence production will likely emerge as a pillar of the postwar Ukrainian economy"

Four years into the full-scale war in Ukraine, the 2026 conflict in the Persian Gulf has spurred new international interest in cooperation between Europe and Ukraine beyond military aid. This research report from Tamar Jacoby asks why meaningful steps have not yet been taken to seriously integrate European and Ukrainian security, addressing the various fledgling models and joint-initiatives, and their lessons, thus far. The paper concludes with recommendations for policymakers, manufacturers, investors, and beyond, for building on these experiments – Europe’s future security may turn on the results.

This paper is published  as part of the Democratic Resilience in the New Age of War programme.

"Remember, there are two Ukraines: the old, Soviet-legacy institutions and attitudes, and a new Western looking, young, tech-savvy and self-reliant nation, eager to sweep away old ways."