Ukraine is identified as a key element of the European Union's defence preparedness in the bloc's new defence roadmap.

Source: European Pravda, citing the text of the document obtained by the media outlet

Details: Chapter six of the roadmap is titled "Ukraine as a key part of Europe's readiness effort".

It states that it is in the interests of both Ukraine and Europe for Ukraine to become a "steel porcupine" – prey too difficult to seize. Therefore, Europe's defence efforts should also focus on further strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities while ensuring that Europe learns from Ukraine's combat experience, innovations and military-civil cooperation.

The document reads that EU member states and institutions will contribute to a "framework" for long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, based on long-term legal foundations; predictable multi-year funding and military supplies; integration with the European defence-industrial base; clear consultation mechanisms; and linkage with Ukraine's EU accession and post-war reconstruction.

The goal is for Ukraine to maintain its defence capability and remain able to repel potential new Russian attacks, while Ukraine's defence industry becomes fully integrated with Europe's – creating mutual benefits.

To sustain and strengthen Ukraine's defence capacity in the short term, the European Commission plans to mobilise a reparation-based loan backed by frozen Russian assets, ensuring a steady supply of weapons to Ukraine – "predominantly from the European and Ukrainian defence industry, in line with its battlefield requirements".

This will simultaneously foster defence-industrial cooperation, innovation and scalability.

The plan also envisions continuing and expanding military training assistance through the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM), as well as improving intelligence sharing.

The document separately highlights the "drone alliance" with Ukraine as a project that will promote joint ventures outside Ukraine and combine European technologies with Ukrainian practical experience and expertise.

Ukraine's participation in EU financial programmes such as SAFE and the EDIP/Ukraine Support Instrument (USI) will also support these goals.

"Depending on progress, a possible complementary Ukraine-focused initiative could be considered in early 2026," the document notes.

Target milestones for implementation are:

• adoption of the Ukraine Support Instrument under the EDIP programme and the "reparation loan" by the end of 2025
• implementation of the "ammunition initiative" to deliver two million shells by the end of 2025
• inclusion of Ukraine in various capability cooperation projects and launch of the drone alliance in the first quarter of 2026
• consideration of additional incentives for member states to support Ukraine in early 2026
• launch of the Brave Tech EU initiative to fund the testing of innovative battlefield solutions, identified jointly with Ukraine, by the end of 2026
• continuation of the EU's military training mission and further cooperation with the Coalition of the Willing when conditions allow

Background: On 16 October, the European Commission unveiled the EU Defence Roadmap – a comprehensive plan to strengthen Europe's defence capabilities, including measures to counter threats from drones and other air, sea and space domains.

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