On September 25, 2025, the European Defence Innovation Forum (EDIF) will be held in The Hague. The Governments of the Netherlands and Ukraine will combine efforts to expand defence industry cooperation in Europe.
As reported by an Ukrinform correspondent from The Hague, the EDIF is bringing together government officials, investors, leading European and Ukrainian defence industry companies, research institutions, and startups to promote the development of joint production, operational integration, and the coordination of urgent security requirements.
The forum aims to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy by integrating field-proven Ukrainian technologies into the European defence industry. At the intersection of battlefield-tested innovations, investments and policy, the EDIF recognizes Ukraine as a powerful partner in strengthening European security.
The honorary speakers and participants include Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans, Commissioner for Military Production at the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands Jan Christiaan Dicke, Netherlands Industry for Defence and Security (NIDV) Director Hans Huigen.
The Ukrainian side will be represented by the Defence Ministry’s officials and a delegation of 50 innovators and manufacturers.
According to Brekelmans, amid increasing geopolitical tensions, partnership is not a choice, but a necessity. In his words, Ukraine demonstrates an unparalleled innovation cycle, where solutions go from concept to implementation in a matter of weeks. Combined with the industrial potential of the Netherlands and Europe, this speed and ingenuity will help to outpace adversaries not only in quality and ideas, but also in the cost, scale and pace of production. As emphasized by Brekelmans, the EDIF 2025 brings together governments, industry leaders and innovators to create a stronger, smarter and more resilient Europe.
The forum participants will be able to explore practical opportunities for co-production, production localization, and partnership models.
Huigen mentioned that the NIDV and the Dutch industry witnessed how operational knowledge and experience drove industrial breakthroughs in Ukraine. Ukraine offers a unique combination of real-time data and battle-proven solutions, from autonomous systems to anti-drone measures, that Europe can integrate today. By combining Ukrainian expertise with the engineering and manufacturing capabilities of Europe and the Netherlands, the delivery of next-generation systems that match the pace and scale of threats can be accelerated. The EDIF is precisely the platform where such synergy is possible, Huigen noted.
At the forum, Dutch innovation agencies and government institutions will share expertise in financing, infrastructure building and long-term support for defence companies and startups with dual-use solutions.
According to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Kingdom of the Netherlands Andriy Kostin, Ukraine’s battlefield experience is not only a story of resilience, but also a strengthened strategic capability for European security.
“We are developing combat solutions that allow us to respond to threats faster than they appear, and we are ready to bring this doctrine of rapid innovation to joint projects with Europe. Thanks to the leadership of the Netherlands, we can jointly create systems that will become more efficient, faster and more cost-effective to produce. Together, we are building a defence ecosystem that can anticipate and overcome the challenges of tomorrow,” Kostin stressed.
The forum’s agenda will include presentations by Ukrainian and Dutch companies that have experience in developing and implementing battlefield solutions. They will offer perspectives on scaling and resolving issues of certification and access to contracts.
The event is organized by the Embassy of Ukraine in the Netherlands, DeltaQuad and VN Strategies, with the support of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the Netherlands Industry for Defence and Security (NIDV), regional development agencies (ROMs), the Municipality of The Hague, and other public and private institutions.
A reminder that, according to Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Ukraine Alle Dorhout, being the first contributor to NATO’s PURL initiative, the Netherlands fulfills its promise to support Ukraine in the fight against Russian aggression for as long as it takes.
Photo: chris robert on Unsplash
Source: Ukraine to showcase defence technologies at European Defence Innovation Forum in The Hague
