Ukraine's Brave1 cluster and the Dutch Ministry of Defence are launching Brave Netherlands, a large-scale initiative to support joint Ukrainian-Dutch defence technology projects.
This was announced by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.
The joint grant fund, with an expected budget of €20 million, will finance advanced technologies developed by Ukrainian and Dutch defence tech companies to meet battlefield needs and strengthen European security.
The programme is open to developers from both countries working on innovative solutions in drones, robotic systems, missiles, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare and signals intelligence (EW/ELINT), communications, and other advanced defence technologies.
The fund will be financed equally by Ukraine and the Netherlands.
According to Ukraine's Defence Ministry, joint international bodies will be established to ensure transparent and balanced project evaluation:
- Executive boards will make final decisions on funding allocations.
- Expert committees, comprising representatives from both countries, will assess applications.
On 7 July, during the NATO summit in Ankara, Ukraine and the Netherlands signed an agreement on joint drone production. The document also lays the groundwork for broader bilateral defence cooperation.