On 15–19 June 2026, Eurosatory 2026, one of the world’s largest defence exhibitions, took place in Paris, France. This year’s event brought together 2,634 companies from 67 countries and welcomed 334 official delegations representing 93 countries.
Ukraine was represented by more than 80 companies, a significant increase from just five exhibitors at the previous edition in 2024. Among them were the Ukrainian Defence Industry, SpetsTechnoExport, SkyFall, Fire Point, the Ukrainian Council of Gunsmiths, and NAUDI.
Ukrainian defence technologies attracted considerable attention from manufacturers, investors, and government delegations. Their effectiveness has been proven on the battlefield, making them particularly attractive to international partners. Some companies even demonstrated this advantage live. For example, NUMO Robotics allowed visitors to remotely operate an unmanned ground vehicle deployed in Ukraine in real time.
As Ukraine’s Ambassador to France, Vadym Omelchenko, noted, it is precisely the combination of innovation and combat experience that makes Ukraine’s defence industry unique. Ukrainian technologies have been developed, tested, and continuously improved under the real conditions of modern warfare.
From the Battlefield to Joint Defence Projects
As an international exhibition, Eurosatory 2026 served as a platform for building partnerships and signing cooperation agreements. Most discussions focused not on purchasing individual products, but on long-term cooperation in research, development, production, and industrial scaling. Priority areas included missile technologies, air defence and counter-air capabilities, unmanned systems, counter-drone solutions, artificial intelligence integration, and related technologies.
One notable outcome was the launch of a joint grant programme by Brave1 and the French Defence Innovation Agency. The BRAVE FRANCE initiative will provide €20 million in funding for Ukrainian and French defence companies.
Representatives of the Ukrainian Defence Industry also discussed new formats of cooperation with leading defence companies from Türkiye, the United States, and across Europe. According to Ukrainian Defence Industry CEO Herman Smetanin, the priority is practical projects and solutions that can be implemented in the near future.
Three Key Trends Shaping Ukraine’s Defence Industry
A unified Ukrainian presence. The coordinated participation of state-owned defence enterprises alongside dozens of private manufacturers demonstrated that Ukraine can present its defence sector as a single ecosystem capable of accommodating both public and private stakeholders.
Battle-proven technologies. Ukrainian innovations—from unmanned ground systems to advanced software—generated exceptional interest among international partners. The global defence community increasingly values Ukrainian solutions for their adaptability to rapidly changing battlefield conditions and their proven combat effectiveness.
Reputation as a foundation for partnerships. The next stage in promoting Ukraine’s defence industry internationally depends not only on technology, but also on political, legal, and regulatory conditions. Scaling production and establishing joint ventures with major Western defence companies will require strong political commitment, transparent export and import regulations, and reliable protection of intellectual property rights.
Looking Ahead
Eurosatory 2026 demonstrated that Ukraine has entered a new phase of cooperation with Europe. The country is steadily moving from being a recipient of military assistance to becoming an exporter of advanced defence technologies and security solutions.
However, the success of this transition will depend not only on political and economic factors but also on timing. The window of opportunity to capitalise on growing international demand for Ukrainian defence technologies is narrowing due to the lack of a predictable export policy. Although the Ukrainian government has publicly declared since early 2025 that defence exports should be enabled, the market is still waiting for clear and transparent implementation mechanisms. Without them, opportunities to build long-term industrial partnerships may be lost, and the Ukrainian defence brand, Zbroya, risks remaining a marketing concept rather than becoming a genuine industrial success story.
Photo: Herman Smetanin / Ukrainian Defence Industry JSC