In a significant move, Ukraine and NATO have announced a groundbreaking initiative aimed at accelerating defense technology development, titled UNITE – Brave NATO. According to First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, the pilot competition is set to commence in 2026 with an overall budget of 10 million euros.
The program will be coordinated by Brave1 in Ukraine, while NATO's first competition will be implemented by the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA). Funding will be provided through the Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine (CAP) and resources from the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

The project will focus on developing innovative solutions for the following areas:

• countering drones;
• enhancing air defense capabilities;
• ensuring reliable communication and navigation systems on the front lines.

“This will provide the Alliance with invaluable real-time experience, while Ukraine will benefit from faster development of defense technologies,” the statement reads.
The expected start for application submissions is February 2026, with winners to be announced in the spring of the same year. Competition details will be released at the beginning of the year, and plans are in place to increase the total funding for the program to 50 million euros.
Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine would become a full-fledged part of the new EU defense architecture. This was stated by European Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius, who emphasized that this means not just presence in our mechanisms, but a genuine engagement in the formation of new joint productions and technologies that will form the foundation of Europe’s future security.