European Defence Innovation Forum brings Ukraine’s battlefield innovations to The Hague
High-level Dutch and Ukrainian leaders unite to scale defence-industrial cooperation across Europe
The Hague, 25 September 2025 – The inaugural European Defence Innovation Forum (EDIF) will host senior government officials, investors, European and Ukrainian major defence companies, research institutions, and early-stage innovators to advance co-production, operational integration, and alignment with urgent security demands.
The aim is to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy by integrating Ukraine’s proven technologies into the European defence industry. At the intersection of tested innovation, capital, and policy, EDIF recognizes Ukraine as a force multiplier for European security.
Among the distinguished speakers and contributors are H.E. Mr. Ruben Brekelmans, Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, Mr. Jan Christiaan Dicke, Commissioner for Military Production at the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, and Mr. Hans Huigen, Director of the Netherlands Industries for Defence and Security (NIDV). The Ukrainian side will be represented by high-level officials from the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, alongside a broad delegation of more than 50 innovators and manufacturers.
Mr. Ruben Brekelmans, Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, underlined: “ In a time of growing geopolitical tension, partnering is not a choice, it’s a necessity. Ukraine brings an unmatched innovation cycle, where solutions move from concept to deployment in weeks. When combined with Dutch and Europe’s industrial capacity, this speed and ingenuity can outpace our adversaries not just in quality and ideas, but also in cost, scale, and production tempo. EDIF 2025 brings together governments, industry leaders and innovators to build a stronger, smarter and more resilient Europe.”
Participants will examine practical pathways for joint manufacturing, localisation of production, and partnership models.
Mr. Hans Huigen, Director, Netherlands Industries for Defence and Security (NIDV) “The NIDV and the Netherlands industry see how operational insights and experience drive industrial breakthroughs in Ukraine. Ukraine offers a unique wealth of real-time data and battlefield-proven designs, from autonomous systems to counter-drone measures, that Europe can integrate today. By combining Ukraine's experience with Dutch and European engineering and manufacturing strength, we can accelerate the delivery of next-gen systems that match the speed of threats. EDIF is exactly the kind of platform where this alignment can happen."
Please find the full programme and information about registration here: European Defence Innovation Forum (EDIF)
