On 6 November 2025 in Brussels, at the invitation of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, NAKO Executive Director Olena Tregub delivered two online speeches highlighting Ukraine’s advocacy efforts on European integration and measures to prevent sanctions evasion.
At the breakfast roundtable “Securing Ukraine, securing Europe: energy security and defence reforms as pillars of European integration”, Tregub emphasized why reforming Ukraine’s defence sector is important for Europe as a whole. She noted that corporatizing Ukroboronprom, creating Ministry of Defence procurement agencies, and launching the Public Anti-Corruption Council of the Ministry of Defence have increased transparency and accountability in the sector, allowing Ukraine to better manage defense expenditures.
Today, over 40% of weapons used on the frontlines are produced by Ukrainian companies. At the same time, Ukraine’s defence industry requires additional investment for further development. “Partners are already investing through mechanisms like the Danish model. Foreign governments either fund defence orders in Ukraine or directly purchase finished products from Ukrainian companies. This model works, but it needs to be scaled up,” Tregub explained. She stressed that supporting the development of Ukraine’s defence industry is essential for the shared security of Ukraine and Europe.
At the event “Partners or Enablers: Navigating Asia’s Role in Circumventing EU Sanctions on Russia”, Tregub spoke about China’s growing role in supplying military technologies and equipment to Russia. “Are we seeing a decrease in Western technologies and an increase in Chinese ones? The short answer is yes. China has become a ‘lifeline’ for Russia in the war against Ukraine,” she said.
Tregub also shared preliminary findings from NAKO research on China-Russia cooperation. “China helps replace Western technologies that are increasingly difficult for Russia to obtain due to sanctions. For example, machine tools and microchips. We found that in the Shahed drones, where there used to be an Irish antenna, a Chinese equivalent is now used,” she noted.
NAKO is currently preparing a study on how Russia circumvents sanctions through shell companies in China and Hong Kong, which will be published soon.
