At the invitation of the organizers, I came to the largest military weapons exhibition in Europe, Eurosatory.
Here, together with my team, we are looking for innovative solutions for our own developments. The main task is to improve our means of protecting critical infrastructure. There are many meetings, as the best and largest suppliers of weapons and equipment from around the civilized world gather here.
Representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, China, India, Sweden, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Turkey, Germany, and Poland came to showcase over 2000 of their own developments. The scale is impressive. The atmosphere is captivating, with an incredible number of people who genuinely care about Ukraine’s future. Our friends from Lithuania and Latvia expressed gratitude for what our country is doing to protect the whole of Europe.
Ukrainian manufacturers, who work directly with the front, also came to France. Companies that best understand the challenges and changes brought by the new form of war.
The Russian-Ukrainian war is rapidly evolving, prompting not only Ukraine but the whole world to think about the necessary changes in the defense sector. Today, drones, guided bombs, ground robotic systems are the main exhibits and topics of discussion. This is the foundation of the current war and the direction to move forward.
The development of defense projects must become one of our key priorities if we want to stop Russia.
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The opportunities for Ukrainian innovations for the Armed Forces are growing. However, our manufacturers complain that the tremendous potential of domestic defense production is limited by the capabilities of the Ministry of Defense and the state budget. It’s important to note that they operate under a complete ban on exports.
We are actively cooperating with the Ministry of Defense on legislative regulation of export issues. To allow Ukrainian manufacturers to sell abroad the products they cannot realize in Ukraine.
The export of Ukrainian defense products will help make Ukraine known globally, and other countries will be able to protect themselves from potential Russian invasion. The country will also gain financial resources for technological research development. This is exactly what we need to stay one step ahead of the Russians.
We do not object to defense manufacturers paying an additional export tax, which should be directed to fund the Armed Forces, but there should be uniform rules for everyone.
| Our day at Eurosatory 2026 was very busy. I was glad to see familiar faces. We are very well acquainted with most Ukrainian manufacturers. We have had joint projects or current cooperation in equipment production. We discussed interesting potential collaborations with other manufacturers and shared experiences.
Our team will do everything possible to help the Ukrainian defense industry develop and make our Armed Forces modern and technological. * * * Found secret Ukrainian weapon at Eurosatory 2026 – “crazy bees”. They were dismantled very quickly 🙂. The interest in everything Ukrainian, especially in developments and technologies, at the arms exhibition is intense. Our defense production is competitive, and we can be proud of it. |
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At the Eurosatory 2026 defense exhibition, you can see the future today.
Drones that independently find targets. Robots that replace humans in the most dangerous areas. Artificial intelligence that analyzes the battlefield faster than a human.
Here, the future is not being predicted — it’s being demonstrated. And among all these technologies, I can’t shake one feeling: Ukraine has become one of those shaping the future.
Once, we used to come to such exhibitions to learn. Today, people come here to learn from us. As the head of one of the leading arms companies told me, it is the Ukrainian military and engineers who have written the new textbook on modern warfare. And, by the way, they wrote it not in offices or laboratories, but in the trenches of Donbas and in the skies over Kyiv.
Our experience is meticulously studied by the military around the world. Because Ukrainian drones, electronic warfare systems, and means to counter enemy intelligence have already become the new standard.
Although many manufacturers still live in the past. For example, at several stands, I noticed anti-drone rifles that are hardly effective in our realities today.
But the war against Russia has proven a simple thing: the future does not belong to individual weapons. The future belongs to a system where artificial intelligence, PDR, EW, and intercept drones work as a single organism.
Because our greatest value is people. Ukrainian military personnel who need to be protected by new technologies. This is the future. And today, our military is defending the opportunity to create such new technologies.
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This morning started with columns of black smoke and “flying saucers” over Moscow.
And while Russia urgently seeks ways to conserve fuel for its army and plans to import fuel and lubricants by sea, — missiles and sea drones are already waiting for them there.
But Russia still has plenty of fuel, much of it can still burn, so today we continue negotiations with weapons suppliers at Eurosatory 2026 in France, one of the largest defense exhibitions in the world. We are looking for new solutions to help Russian defense industry enterprises, refineries, and fleet feel the Ukrainian heat.
We are also looking for solutions that can protect us from Russian attacks. Behind me is the American VAMPIRE with Thales missiles. They fly twice the speed of sound, and this type of weapon effectively destroys “shaheds.” And I have good news: we had great negotiations with Thales and the American side, and possibly, together with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, we will invest in joint production of anti-drone missiles.
A particular pride is Ukrainian manufacturers at the exhibition. We have worked with almost all of them, purchasing equipment for the Armed Forces. Not long ago, nobody had heard of them, but today they are world-class companies with advanced technologies.
We are also looking for solutions for our own developments. We want to improve the “Ai-Petri” complex, and there are already a few solutions, but no spoilers, — let it be a surprise 😉
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Eurosatory 2026 has once again confirmed: the war of the future is already underway. And today, Ukraine is the country whose combat experience is changing the approaches of the world’s largest defense companies. What existed only as concepts a few years ago, Ukrainian military forces are already using on the battlefield.
Over these days, we held a series of meetings with weapons manufacturers, representatives of defense companies, and our international partners. We discussed specific solutions for the front: protecting Ukrainian cities from “shaheds,” strengthening air defense, developing drones, missile systems, robotic platforms, and electronic warfare means.
One of the most important meetings concerned the VAMPIRE system and Thales missiles, capable of effectively destroying Russian strike drones. We discussed the possibility of joint investment in the production of affordable and effective anti-drone missiles with the participation of Ukraine and our partners from the Baltic countries. Because we cannot wait for someone to deliver enough weapons to us. It needs to be produced together — quickly, massively, and right now.
Separately, we looked for technologies that can enhance our “Ai-Petri” complex. At the exhibition, we saw several promising solutions that could make it even more effective in combating Russian reconnaissance and strike means.
The strongest impression at Eurosatory is the presence of Ukrainian manufacturers. Companies that only military personnel and volunteers knew about not long ago are now confidently competing with the largest players on the global market. Ukrainian drones, electronic warfare systems, missiles, guided ammunition, software, and hardware solutions attract attention because they are backed by real combat experience.
The main takeaway from this exhibition is simple: modern warfare is not won by a single state-of-the-art missile or an individual drone. Victory comes from a system in which intelligence, artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, interceptor drones, and strike means work together. All of this must serve the primary goal — to preserve the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and give them a technological advantage over the enemy.
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The war of the future is already happening now. And Ukraine is dictating its rules. This was demonstrated by the world’s largest weapons exhibition, Eurosatory 2026.
It’s impressive how enthusiastic our tech specialists are here. How our recent miltech startups confidently present themselves on equal footing with global companies. The young and talented people working in our defense industry are remarkable.
I had four intensive days of meetings with producers of the most advanced weapons, drones, electronic warfare systems, missiles, robotic platforms, and protective systems. We are bringing back a lot of interesting things to Ukraine for the front line, for the protection of critical infrastructure, and for future cool developments, particularly for the “Ai-Petri” complex.
Today, Ukrainian defense manufacturers are true superstars at such events. Everyone wants to establish contact, learn, and exchange experience. This experience gained by our engineers and military personnel wasn’t acquired in offices or even on training grounds. It was gained in the trenches along the entire front line, in the skies over peaceful cities, and at sea, where the Russian fleet has long since not felt like the master.
There are many technologies here that seemed like science fiction just yesterday. Drones that find targets on their own. Robots that replace humans in the most dangerous areas. Artificial intelligence that analyzes the battlefield faster than a human.
However, it must now be recognized that the future doesn’t lie with a single wonder-weapon or a large, flashy bomb. The future belongs to the right system. When intelligence, electronic warfare, artificial intelligence, interceptor drones, missiles, and strike means operate as a single organism.
Our task now is to help the enormous potential of the Ukrainian defense industry grow. To give Ukrainian defense the opportunity to produce more, earn for development, enter global markets, and provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine with everything they need.
