USUBC — together with Defence Builder, Ukraine’s integrated defense tech ecosystem; KSE Institute, one of Ukraine’s leading economic research institutions; General Cherry, a prominent Ukrainian defense tech company, and Ukrainian Council of defense Industry, a leading association representing Ukraine’s defense manufacturers and industry stakeholders — will host Defence Day on 25 June 2026 in Gdańsk, Poland.
Defence Day is a side event at URC 2026 that frames the development of Ukraine’s defense industrial base and defense technology sectors as both an economic growth priority and a security imperative for Ukraine and its allies. It brings Ukrainian DIB and defense tech companies together with investors, government officials, and industry partners interested in co-production, technology transfer, and long-term integration of Ukrainian capabilities into allied defense supply chains. The focus of Defence Day is practical: joint venture structures that are already working, investment pipelines and other investment and cooperation vehicles with real deal flow, and the legal and export frameworks needed to scale Ukrainian defense tech internationally.
The programme is structured in two parts. Part I is a UAV industry showcase and strategic discussion dedicated to joint ventures, investment access, and the operational realities of scaling Ukrainian defense tech. Part II is devoted to the broader defense industrial base — increasing Ukraine’s technical and production capabilities, sustainment, and long-term international cooperation frameworks.
The programme includes panel discussions, a fireside chat, a presentation of exclusive research on Ukraine’s UAV sector, followed by the Networking\Reception.
Why this matters. Global military expenditure hit $2.7 trillion in 2024 — a post-Cold War record. NATO’s new 5% GDP target implies over $1.5 trillion in additional annual spending. Ukraine’s defense tech sector is valued at $6.8 billion in 2025 (Defence Builder / KSE Institute / Brave1), with $6.3 billion in UAV production alone (+137% YoY), UGV growth of 6× to $252M, and EW systems up 3.4× to $220M. The 10-year recovery and defense potential is estimated at $690 billion. This is a market producing at scale that now needs the structures to integrate into allied supply chains.
Program:
3:00 – 3:30 PM
Registration & Welcome Drinks
3:30 – 3:45 PM
Welcoming Remarks:
Irina Paliashvili, President & CEO, U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC)
3:45 – 4:30 PM
Panel: Ukraine’s Defence Tech: Growth, Capital, and Partnership Opportunities
Moderator:
Daria Yaniieva, President, Defence Builder
Speakers:
Valery Krasovsky, CEO Sigma Software Group, Board Member Defence Builder
Danyil Vakhovskyi, Executive Director, General Cherry
Brian Best, Managing Director, Dragon Capital
Valentyna Sakhno, Head of Business School, Kyiv School of Economics (KSE)
4:30 – 5:00 PM
Panel Two: Iteration to Institution: The Next Phase of Ukrainian Defence Tech
An in-depth look at one of Ukraine’s most prominent defence tech companies: from early-stage product to international recognition, scaling under wartime conditions, building partnerships, and navigating the path from tactical innovation to strategic industry player.
Moderator:
Daria Yaniieva, President, Defence Builder
Speakers:
Danyil Vakhovskyi, Executive Director, General Cherry
Jeff Rodrian, Executive Vice President, MacCready Works, AV (Aerovironment)
Viktoriia Honcharuk, Director, AV3.Tech
5:00 – 6:00 PM
Panel Three: Opportunities for International Cooperation in Defense Industrial Base: Co-Production, Export, Sustainment
Moderator:
Irina Paliashvili, President & CEO, U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC)
Speakers:
Mykhailo Diachenko, Chief Business Development Officer, TAF Industries
Roksolana Svynchuk, Deputy CEO, Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry (UCDI)
Phil Fickes, Director, Bell Textron Ukraine
Yurii Katsion, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Oschadbank
Piotr Marczuk, Senior Sales Director, Defense and Space CEE, Honeywell Aerospace
Michael Murray, Account Executive,
Strategic Growth – Ukraine, Collins Aerospace,
an RTX Business
Yurii Oshyiko, International Affairs Advisor, UKRAINIAN ARMOR LLC
Matthew Thrasher, Counsel, International Trade + Government Contracts Practices, Fluet Law
6:00 – 9:00 PM
Networking Reception
Speakers
The attendance is limited to USUBC, Defence Builder, KSE Institute, General Cherry and Ukrainian Council of Defense Industry members and partners. The space is strictly limited, so we can accept no more than two representatives per company. The registration will be carried out on a first come, first served basis, and will be closed when we reach capacity.
For inquiries regarding this event, registration and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Dmytro Filonenko, Director, Programming & Business Development, at dfilonenko@usubc.org