Ukraine's Scientists Join Europe's Security Effort

Kseniia Smyrnova, President of the Ukrainian Association of European Law and former Vice-Rector of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, says Ukrainian researchers now form part of the country's wider security architecture. She wants them at the table as Europe builds its defence capacity.

"Ukrainian science is an integral part of our national security architecture. It is a priority, and all our efforts are directed towards it," Smyrnova said.

Research Beyond the Battlefield

For Smyrnova, security means more than weapons. Humanities scholars are working to combat disinformation, analyse geopolitical shifts and forecast developments, she said. Natural scientists are developing defence systems and technologies using artificial intelligence in drone and counter-drone systems. "This is one of Ukraine's key strengths," she said.

The work also covers the human side of modern warfare. Smyrnova cited research that is expanding knowledge of how electronic warfare systems affect the human body. Other teams are developing early-warning innovations for drone attacks. She argued that these technologies should lead to specific technological products, not stay in laboratories as findings.

The EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance

The EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance is beginning to take practical shape, Smyrnova said. But research centres aren't yet included in its remit, and that's a gap she wants closed. "Our next task is therefore to strengthen the alliance by incorporating scientific expertise and analysis. It really is an entire ecosystem," she said.

Who gets a seat at the table matters. Smyrnova's central message reworks President Volodymyr Zelensky's line on negotiations: "'No research about Ukraine without Ukrainian researchers.'" Ukrainian researchers, she said, must take part whenever others conduct research about Ukraine or apply its findings. Ukrainian science, she believes, "will make the EU stronger."

Funding and Red Tape

The Ukrainian government is backing the ambition with money. The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine has allocated UAH 3 billion for a new performance-based basic funding model for scientists. Another UAH 1 billion will establish defence research centres at leading universities.

Money alone won't fix the problem. Smyrnova said universities need dedicated teams to support grant applications and manage projects. "We have experience in setting up these coordination centers and grant support services. Universities need to cut bureaucratic red tape to encourage researchers to participate more actively in international funding competitions," she said.

The effort carries a human cost. A report referenced in the discussion mentioned an exhibition, "Unissued Diplomas," presented at a Prague Conference and dedicated to Ukrainian students killed in the war. It's a reminder: Ukraine's scientific community pays in lives as well as resources.

What Comes Next

Ukraine's universities will combine education, science and industry in the years ahead, Smyrnova said. European partners understand how much help Ukraine needs in this area. "Our European partners understand how important it is to help us in this area, and we continue to advocate for Ukraine's interests," she said.

Why This Matters: Smyrnova's argument reaches beyond one country's laboratories. If the EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance grows without its research centres, Europe risks designing defence technology without the expertise of people who have spent years under attack. Her case rests on a simple principle: decisions about Ukraine should include Ukrainians. Whether the alliance meets that standard depends on how quickly officials remove the bureaucratic obstacles she describes and how much promised funding reaches working researchers. For a Union that often talks about strategic autonomy, the question is whether it will invest in the scientific capacity Ukraine is offering to share—and whether it will do so through partnership rather than extraction.