EIC, Defence & Equity
EU and Bpifrance plan €150 million guarantee for Ukraine partnerships
The arrangement under the Ukraine Investment Framework targets French–Ukrainian industrial ties in defence and dual-use technology.
Key facts
- Instrument
- Ukraine Investment Framework
- EU support
- €150 million in guarantees and €13 million in grants
- Bpifrance target
- More than €480 million in financial interventions over three years
- Partnerships
- 30 over three years, French companies and Ukrainian startups
- Status
- Envisaged; final legal agreements still pending
Bpifrance and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood announced the arrangement during European Defence Week in Paris, which runs from 2 to 6 November 2026. Under the Ukraine Investment Framework, the EU would provide €150 million in guarantees and €13 million in grants, with Bpifrance aiming for more than €480 million in financial interventions over three years.
The instruments would be aimed at French companies developing in Ukraine, Ukrainian companies buying French goods and equipment, and French firms partnering with local companies. Priority sectors include aerial, land and maritime drones, electronic protection, space, communications, navigation and critical components, with a focus on dual-use technologies. Energy, digital and industrial equipment are also covered.
A non-financial strand foresees 30 partnerships over three years between French companies and Ukrainian startups in defence and dual-use technologies, supported by EuroQuity, Bpifrance's international matchmaking platform.
The deal is not final. Legal agreements depend on the Commission's inter-service consultation being completed and on the contractual documentation being finalised.
Why it matters
The scheme is reserved for French-linked operations, so most European applicants cannot use it directly. Its interest lies in the model: an EU guarantee channelled through a national promotional bank to support dual-use industrial partnerships with Ukraine. Companies elsewhere in Europe may want to ask their own national institutions whether similar routes exist. The announcement gives no detailed eligibility criteria, so French firms should wait for the final terms.
Official source
European Commission – Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood — always check eligibility, budgets and deadlines on the official page before applying.