British assosiation ADS Group opens membership to Ukrainian defence companies

The British association ADS Group, which represents the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors, has for the first time offered membership to companies headquartered in Ukraine. The announcement was made at the DSEI UK 2025 exhibition in London.

The offer is open as part of the “UK/Ukraine 100-Year Partnership” programme. In the first 48 hours after the launch, about ten Ukrainian companies applied for membership. According to ADS Group, the decision was the result of a series of meetings in Ukraine aimed at strengthening industrial cooperation in the defence and security sectors.

Membership will provide Ukrainian companies with access to a specialised business network, participation in ADS trade missions to Ukraine, online events and the opportunity to establish contacts with other members of the association. Candidates must have a background in the defence sector, a headquarters in Ukraine, and a letter of recommendation from an approved partner.

A number of Ukrainian companies are already actively exploring opportunities in the UK market. In particular, Ukrspetssystems has announced a £200 million investment in the UK, and Skyeton has teamed up with Prevail Partners to develop its drone technology. Kara Dag may also be seeking opportunities for collaboration and contracts within the UK ecosystem.

ADS Group CEO Kevin Craven said the past three years have proven the importance of international cooperation for national resilience. He said the experience of working with Ukrainian partners was “unprecedented” and that, in the face of Russian aggression, ADS was proud to officially offer membership to Ukrainian companies.

It is also worth noting that Vyriy Drone founder Oleksiy Babenko and Defence Builder board member Darya Yanieva were included in this year’s Forbes “30 under 30” list.