Join us for a thought-provoking opening conversation on the ongoing European efforts to militarily support Ukraine against Russia’s unprovoked and brutal aggression. The panel brings together distinguished speakers from the Ukrainian government, the EU institutions and the European defence industry to provide a nuanced and insightful exploration of the most pressing security issue facing Europe today. The discussion will delve into key questions:

• What are Europe’s track record and key achievements in supporting Ukraine on the battlefield over the past two years?
• What lessons have governments, militaries and industries learned during this time and how have those lessons reshaped their planning and operations?
• How are Ukraine’s needs evolving and what challenges remain to be addressed?

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European governments have sought to strengthen their capabilities and support Kyiv in the face of an aggressor that is more and more mobilising its resources towards its military apparatus and war aims. Considering this development, also in Europe, the demands of industrial warfare have prompted calls for a ‘war economy’, to ensure the timely availability of the personnel, supplies and tools needed to produce the required defence capabilities at the necessary speed and volumes. High-level speakers from government, industry and academia are joined in this panel to address this topic and several relevant questions:

• What would a ‘war economy’ in 21st-century Europe entail, and is it feasible?
• To what extent do European economies need to adapt to be prepared for and resilient against large-scale conflict?
• How much ‘war economy’ is needed today to swiftly enhance Europe’s defence readiness and support Ukraine with what it needs?

The return of high-intensity warfare in Europe and the threat of further large-scale military conflicts around the globe has given rise to a new awareness about the need to ensure that the West’s defence technological and industrial base is fit for purpose. To this end, the EU and the US have recently developed their first-ever blueprints for enhancing the readiness, capacity and resilience of their respective defence industries. In this panel, speakers from the EU institutions, the US government and representatives of the European and US industries will discuss the European Defence Industrial Strategy and the US National Defence Industrial Strategy, as well as important questions raised by their co-existence concerning the West’s collective defence industrial posture:

• Specificities, differences, commonalities: US and European industries in the new geopolitical context
• How can Europe and the US implement their strategies in complementarity?
• What could be the role of other Western allies and partners, including Ukraine, in this context?

Since early 2022, European leaders have repeatedly stressed the need to adapt the EDTIB to the new security realities. The EU has launched several initiatives to this end, culminating in the recent European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) and the proposed European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), which aim to mark a shift to a structured, long-term approach to defence industrial readiness. This high-level panel brings together top representatives from the European Commission, Member States and industry to discuss the role of the EU in supporting Member States and complementing NATO, and addressing several key questions:

• How do Member States and industry view EDIS and EDIP?
• What are the areas in which the EU is indispensable as a framework for action in defence?
• What should be the level of ambition for EU support to the EDTIB under the next MFF?