Ukrainian IT can help the EU overcome dependence on the US and China — study
The Ukrainian IT sector can help the European Union close its technological dependencies on the US and China. What areas are we talking about?
The Ukrainian IT sector can help the European Union close its technological dependencies on the US and China. What areas are we talking about?
The EU-Ukraine Digital Sector Interlinkages Report, prepared by a consortium of Ukrainian and European IT clusters within the ITBridge project, compared the EU’s critical technological dependencies with the real competencies of Ukrainian IT.
The European Union is currently investing billions of euros in reducing technological dependence on the US and China — through the European Chips Act, Big Tech regulation, and support for domestic production and innovation. However, most of these initiatives have a long-term implementation horizon.
ITBridge’s research demonstrates an alternative available today: in 9 technology areas where the EU depends on non-European suppliers, Ukrainian companies already have export-ready solutions.
33 experts from different EU countries identified two groups of critical technologies:
- Big Data & Analytics, Cloud, Edge & Fog Computing, Cybersecurity, IoT & Embedded Systems, Semiconductors & Microelectronics — recognized as critical for EU security.
- Web Platforms & Applications, AI & ML, AR/VR/XR, 5G & Next-Gen Connectivity, Quantum Technologies, Unmanned Vehicles, Robotics & Automation, Enterprise Process Automation — pose a risk to the competitiveness of the economy.
According to ITBridge research, Ukraine can be an EU partner in 9 of these areas — Big Data & Analytics, Cybersecurity, Cloud, Edge & Fog Computing, IoT & Embedded Systems (critical) — and Unmanned Vehicles, Web Platforms & Applications, AI & ML, Enterprise Process Automation, Robotics & Automation .
Researchers note that Ukraine had $6.8 billion in IT services exports in 2024 and 328,000 technical specialists and over 20,000 graduates each year.
The study identifies two levels of competence. The first is areas where Ukraine is a world leader with unique expertise.
- Unmanned Vehicles. Air, ground, sea drones. Competence acquired in combat conditions. For the EU, which has included drones in the list of dependencies, Ukraine is a ready partner with experience that is not available in any laboratory in the world.
- Web Platforms & Applications. A mature ecosystem for creating complex digital products — from services to platforms.
The second level is areas with a deep human resource pool and experience in international projects:
- AI & ML — computer vision, NLP, intelligent automation.
- Big Data & Analytics — data warehouses, analytical systems, BI tools.
- Cloud, Edge & Fog Computing — scalable infrastructure for business.
- IoT & Embedded Systems — solutions for AgriTech, production, logistics.
- Robotics & Automation — from production lines to business processes.
- Blockchain & Distributed Ledger — decentralized transactions and data management.
- Cybersecurity. Ukraine repels state-level cyberattacks every day. This expertise in system resilience is a unique selling proposition for European businesses and governments.
All these areas are included in the list of technological dependencies of the EU and are already represented by Ukrainian companies on international markets.
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