Key facts
- The EU Council approved five defense projects to bolster European capabilities.
- Ukraine will participate in four of the five projects.
- The projects focus on air defense, maritime security, space, drone and counter-drone capabilities, and eastern flank security.
- The drone and counter-drone project, DECODER, is expected to cost between 3.5 billion and 5.5 billion euros.
- The air and missile defense project (EU-FIAMD) is expected to cost between 55 billion and 80 billion euros by 2040.
- The Eastern Flank Watch project is estimated to cost between 60 billion and 100 billion euros by 2036.
The European Union has approved a significant plan comprising five bloc-wide defense projects designed to enhance the collective security capabilities of its member states. Ukraine is slated to be a participant in four of these initiatives, underscoring its role in European defense cooperation.
The projects, proposed by the European Commission in July, aim to address critical shortfalls in areas such as air defense, maritime security, space capabilities, drone and counter-drone technology, and the security of the EU's eastern flank. The plan received backing from member states' ambassadors on September 16 and was formally approved by the Council of the EU on September 28.
Irish Foreign and Defense Minister Helen McEntee highlighted the practical cooperation among EU members, stating, "These projects further demonstrate the practical cooperation between EU member states to provide for our own security." She added, "Working closely with our partners Norway and Ukraine, together we are taking decisive steps to protect space, our skies, our seas, undersea cables, and our citizens who depend on them."
The DECODER project, focused on drone and counter-drone technology, is expected to cost between 3.5 billion and 5.5 billion euros ($4 billion to $6 billion). This initiative will establish a network of drone technology hubs to foster testing, innovation, and interoperability, with all EU countries participating except for Malta. Ukraine is anticipated to play a significant role in this project.
A key area of immediate interest for Ukraine is the air and missile defense project (EU-FIAMD), which has an estimated cost of 55-80 billion euros ($63-92 billion) by 2040. While Ukraine has demonstrated expertise in drone warfare, it faces challenges in anti-ballistic missile defense, a gap it aims to fill in anticipation of renewed Russian missile attacks.
The integrated maritime and seabed defense project will involve military and civilian personnel, along with drones, to monitor various sea-based infrastructure, including fuel pipelines, wind turbines, and internet cables. This initiative comes amid concerns raised by Western officials about suspected Russian-backed sabotage efforts targeting European undersea infrastructure.
The most expensive of the five projects is the Eastern Flank Watch, estimated to cost between 60 billion and 100 billion euros ($69-115 billion) by 2036. This project is geographically restricted and aims to address concrete security threats along the EU's eastern border, though it is open to geographic expansion. The proposal for the Eastern Flank Watch was announced in October 2025, following a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace.