Ukraine needs to be proactive in coordinating defense production under SAFE initiative – Kubilius

The relevant statement was made by European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius in an interview with Ukrinform.

As noted by Kubilius, a total of 19 EU Member States expressed willingness to obtain defense production loans from Brussels.

“And of those, 13 countries want to use SAFE loans to support Ukraine,” Kubilius added.

During scheduled meetings with Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, Kubilius was planning to discuss “how Ukraine should work with the member states which notified the Commission that they will use SAFE loans to support Ukraine, that Ukraine would be very proactive in coordinating all the efforts together with those member states on what needs that money has to be spent.”

Currently, the precise sum that will be spent on joint projects with Ukraine’s defense industry remains unknown.

“We approved how much of those loans will be given to each country as per their request, and now we’re asking member states to present at the end of November precise investment plans – to what purposes they are going to use the money, and also those willing to help Ukraine will have to notify us on what projects they will use those loans,” Kubilius explained.

A reminder that, according to Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Budget Roksolana Pidlasa, Ukraine is currently spending 31% of its GDP on defense, which is the highest rate in the world.

Next year, Ukraine aims to secure at least USD 120 billion for the country’s defense purposes. This amount includes funds from the Ukrainian state budget (USD 60 billion) and military supplies (arms and ammunition), provided through platforms such as Ramstein, PURL, SAFE, the Danish model, and others (USD 60 billion).

Photos by Ukrinform available for purchase here