Volunteers and Ukrainian veterans assemble about 35 drones by hand for the front in two days at The Hague defense forum

The European Defense Innovation Forum (EDIF 2026) has taken place in The Hague, the Netherlands, bringing together more than 1,000 participants from various countries, roughly half of them representing Ukraine. Organizers told Ukrinform that the event served as a platform for new partnerships between states and companies. The forum shows that Ukraine is turning almost five years of war into experience and a defense industry that European partners now want to develop together with it.

The forum beat expectations

A series of memorandums and cooperation agreements was signed. Co-founder Natalia Nakonechna says feedback from both government and business was strongly positive, and most participants said the event exceeded their expectations. Companies are already asking when registration opens for next year: those that had stands want larger ones, and those that did not attend plan to book space. Organizers describe the 2026 edition as a first step toward a larger forum in 2027. "We must join efforts at all levels and create a common shield that will protect our countries," Nakonechna says.

Ukrainian firms came despite obstacles

About 30 Ukrainian companies exhibited. Arranging their participation took months, partly because of the difficulty of taking defense products and equipment out of Ukraine. Organizers lobbied Dutch officials on the firms' behalf. "In talks with representatives of the Dutch authorities, we constantly stressed how difficult it is for Ukrainian participants to come here and bring their products and equipment," Nakonechna says.

Drones assembled by hand

A drone-building workshop ran alongside the forum. Over two days, participants assembled about 35 drones for Ukraine's military, with each basic one taking two to three hours. Anyone could join; specialists tested the drones and guided newcomers. The components came from kits bought with donations. Ukrainian veterans took part as part of their rehabilitation, and military engineers provided feedback that the organization behind the workshop, DroneAid, builds into later drones.