Ukraine awaits political decision on EU accession in 2027, expects expansion of joint defense projects within SAFE – Zhovkva

Ukraine expects a clear political decision on its membership in the European Union in 2027 and is counting on the expansion of joint defense projects with the EU within the SAFE instrument, said Deputy Head of the President’s Office of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva during a meeting with a delegation of the European Parliament Committee on Security and Defense (SEDE) headed by Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the official website of the President’s Office reports.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the European Union member states, in particular Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Germany and France.

"Ukraine’s membership in the European Union is the foundation of future security guarantees for Ukraine and for all of Europe. That is why we need a clear political decision on Ukraine’s membership as early as 2027," Zhovkva said.

Ihor Zhovkva noted that Ukraine needs stronger air defense to protect against Russian attacks and counts on additional missiles for air defense systems. Particular attention was paid to the PURL initiative, which enables Ukraine to purchase air defense missiles from the United States. In total, 24 countries have already joined the program, with combined contributions amounting to $5 billion. Ukraine’s needs under PURL for this year total $15 billion, and active work with partners on additional contributions is ongoing.

The parties also discussed preparations for the Ramstein-format meeting scheduled for February 12.

Special attention was devoted to defense cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union within the SAFE instrument. At present, the amount available for potential joint projects under SAFE is approximately EUR 5.2 billion, although Ukraine’s defense industry has significantly greater potential.

"Some countries have already included joint projects with Ukraine in their national investment plans. At the same time, we believe that the share of SAFE funds allocated to joint production should be at least 10% of each member state’s contribution," the Deputy Head of the President’s Office emphasized.