Ukraine–EU/Euratom: Third Meeting of the EU-Ukraine Horizon Europe Joint Research and Innovation Committee was held in Brussels

The Third Meeting of the Ukraine–EU/Euratom Joint Research and Innovation Committee on was held in Brussels. The hybrid-format meeting brought together representatives of the European Commission, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Scientific Committee Council of Ukraine for Science and Technology Development, the National Research Foundation of Ukraine (NRFU), as well as representatives of Ukrainian and European institutions.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the current needs of Ukrainian research amid the war, Ukraine’s participation in the Horizon Europe program, and the next steps for integration into the European Research Area (ERA). Special attention was paid to the EU measures supporting Ukrainian researchers, including political, institutional and financial assistance, dedicated calls, mobility programs and initiatives for the recovery of research infrastructure.

One of the key outcomes of the meeting was confirmation of Ukraine’s intention to begin preparations for associated participation in the 10th EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10, 2028–2034).

The new programme foresees doubling the budget to approximately €175 billion, simplifying application procedures, supporting dual-use technologies, and providing greater flexibility in funding and partnerships. FP10 will have four integrated pillars combining research, innovation, competitiveness, and the development of a unified European Research Area (ERA), and will be aligned with the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF), strengthening the link between research, defence, and EU resilience.

Ukraine’s priority is to increase the number of applications and grants in Horizon Europe and to strengthen international partnerships. The European Commission confirmed its continued readiness to support Ukrainian research politically, institutionally, and financially through dedicated calls, researcher programs, and initiatives for infrastructure development.

The meeting also highlighted Ukraine’s notable performance in Horizon Europe programme. Over the past four years, Ukrainian researchers and institutions have signed over 230 grant agreements totaling more than €63 million. Currently, the following structures operate in Ukraine:

Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine at the NRFU, fully funded by the European Commission;
22 National Contact Points (NCPs) across 10 regions which conducted over 100 information events in 2025 alone;
39 Ukrainian representatives in EU Programme Committees.

In the course of the meeting, the NRFU representatives delivered a presentation titled “Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine: Achievements and Development Prospects”. The NRFU Executive Director Olga Polotska, together with the Head of the Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine (who joined online), presented key results and outlined future areas aimed at expanding Ukrainian researchers’ participation in European research programs.

The meeting marked another important step in strengthening the partnership between Ukraine and the European Union in research and innovation, identifying new opportunities for Ukrainian researchers, and confirming the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s integration into the ERA.

Besides the mentioned above, during the visit to Brussels of the NRFU Executive Director Olga Polotska she also participated in the kick-off meeting of the International Coalition for Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine.

The Coalition was established in July 2025 to unite international partners’ efforts for urgent and long-term support of Ukraine’s research and innovation system, which is an essential component of sustainable social and economic recovery. The Coalition currently includes Ukraine, the European Commission, UNESCO, Italy, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Portugal, Slovakia, Austria, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Lithuania, Bulgaria, alongside international organizations and institutions such as UNDP, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA), Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (VUIAS), Alliance of German Science Organisations, Volkswagen Stiftung, and RI Logistica.

During the meeting, participants discussed the Coalition’s framework, implementation mechanisms, urgent research and innovation needs in Ukraine, and immediate steps to address them. Furthermore, key initiatives of international partners were reviewed, and further coordination steps were identified in preparation for the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026.

“This Coalition is our instrument for action, not just a platform for dialogue. Ukraine not only needs support but is ready to be a reliable partner in implementing joint projects that deliver results now and shape a safe, innovative future for Europe”, – emphasized Denys Kurbatov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine.

Ukrainian representatives highlighted four priority areas for supporting science and innovation: research infrastructure, support for researchers and innovators, development of state policy and countering disinformation, and stressed the necessity of increasing research funding.

“On the part of the European Commission, we have already supported Ukraine’s research and innovation sector with over €132 million, in addition to Ukraine’s participation in the programme. Additional support is expected in 2026. […] We aim to make support for Ukraine’s research and innovation ecosystem as simple as possible, while understanding the remaining unmet needs. […] This sector can help address virtually every challenge Ukraine faces during the recovery”, – emphasized Signe Ratso, Deputy Director-General, European Commission, DG RTD.