Largest Estonian defence industry delegation wants to help Ukraine achieve victory
Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
09.04.2025
This week, a business delegation of Estonia's defence industry with representatives of nearly 30 companies is visiting Ukraine. Several business seminars and meetings are held, as well as a joint display of products and demonstrations in training areas. The visit is organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Estonian Embassy in Ukraine with the Ministry of Defence and the Estonian Defence and Aerospace Industry Association.
The business seminar was opened by Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur. An overview of Ukraine's defence cooperation and procurements and the situation on the frontline was provided by Deputy Defence Minister Valerii Churkin, Minister of Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin, Deputy Minister of Strategic Industries David Aloian, and Defense Procurement Agency Director Arsen Dzhumadilov.
Priit Kallakas, Director General of the Foreign Ministry's Business Diplomacy Department, said that this kind of visit had been organised for the second consecutive year and it was one of the largest business delegations in recent years. "Our defence industry companies are very interested in cooperation with Ukraine. Everybody understands that it is critical to be here now - to receive feedback on what is actually working on the battlefield and what is not working," Kallakas said.
He said the companies of both Estonia and Ukraine wanted to contribute to Ukraine's victory. "If it is not possible to attain superiority in manpower, it is crucial to achieve technological superiority. This is where our companies can offer their smart solutions and work with Ukrainians," he said.
The Estonian business delegation includes companies ranging from producers of drones and unmanned vehicles and developers of intelligence software systems to law firms and logistics companies specialising in the defence sector. Around ten of them are actively operating in Ukraine.
Kalev Koidumäe, CEO of the Estonian Defence and Aerospace Industry Association, said the aim of the visit and the work of the association was to find new contacts, markets and opportunities for Estonian companies. "Right now, Ukraine is where the products of our sector are working. The products and systems created by our engineers are being tested here and this allows us to create solutions that actually work in modern warfare," Koidumäe said.
He said that state support on these kinds of visits added credibility to companies and it was a joint effort by the sector and the state. "Thanks to the minister, the ministries and the embassy, high-level partners and local decision-makers are attending," Koidumäe said, emphasising that Estonia's defence industry is part of Estonia's defence capabilities.
Estonian drone producer KrattWorks was also part of the delegation, having already launched its first cooperation projects in Ukraine. "For us, Ukraine is, above all, a test market where we can see how our technology works and how we can develop it further. Local units have tried our drones and we keep developing our products based on their feedback," Tõnis Voitka, CEO of KrattWorks, said.
He said they were part of the visit in order to find new partners. "On a state-organised visit, we can establish contacts with potential partners and local state representatives we would not be able to approach otherwise," Voitka said.
The Estonian business delegation comprises Vegvisir, Jetflite, Front42, Marduk Technologies, Meridein Grupp, Milrem Robotics, Threod Systems, SensusQ, Defendec, TRINITI, Atalanta Systems, Lendurai, CybExer Technologies, Milmech Systems, 5.0 Robotics, KrattWorks, Englo, Strobil, Falconers, Jetflite, Defsecintel Solutions, Sorainen, CAFA Tech OÜ, Threod Systems, Baltic Workboats, Asax Innovation, Telearmy and Frankenburg Technologies.
The visit is funded from the instruments of the EU's NextGenerationEU recovery instrument.
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