# EU Opens SAFE Defense Funding Round

On October 29 (year not stated), the European Commission invited EU member states to participate in a second round of funding through the SAFE instrument. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said €21 billion remains in the program and that there are positive signals for joint defense production with Ukraine. The announcement points to a potential route for Ukrainian firms to participate in co-production, but it does not identify specific projects, solicitations, awards, or procurement timelines.

- Companies pursuing defense co-production opportunities can assess potential partnerships with Ukrainian firms while recognizing that participation and project-level procurement details have not been specified.
- Defense suppliers should track which EU states participate and the related project procurement information, since national participation is relevant to identifying potential opportunities.
- The reported €21 billion is funding remaining in the SAFE program, not the value of a specific contract or award.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** November 09, 2026

### Government Entities
- European Commission
- European Union (EU)
- Government of Ukraine

### Key Quotes
> Of course, financial support matters a great deal to us. We’re discussing the SAFE program — €21 billion remains in it right now, and there are positive signals about how other countries can use this money in co-production with Ukraine. That’s also a very positive development.
> — Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine

### Sources
- [Zelenskyy Sees Prospects for Ukrainian Companies in €21 Billion SAFE Projects - Freedom](https://uatv.ua/en/zelenskyy-sees-prospects-for-ukrainian-companies-in-21-billion-safe-projects) - uatv.ua