On March 26, 2026, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Denys Kurbatov spoke at the conference “UK–Ukraine ResearchBridge: Accelerating Recovery through Science and Innovation,” held at The Royal Society in London.

The event brought together representatives of the governments of Ukraine and the United Kingdom, universities, research organizations, and innovation programs to discuss how science and technology can accelerate the country’s recovery.

The conference program was structured around practical formats of cooperation: from presentations of ongoing UK–Ukraine projects in MedTech, energy, and green recovery to strategic sessions on scaling partnerships and accessing funding within various European programs, including Horizon Europe.

In his speech, Denys Kurbatov outlined key changes in Ukraine’s science policy, particularly the transition to a model where funding is tied to research performance and results.

A strong focus was placed on international cooperation. Ukrainian organizations are participating in 246 Horizon Europe projects, 97 of which are implemented jointly with UK partners. At the same time, Ukraine’s participation potential is much broader, and the experience of British partners is valuable for expanding it.

The United Kingdom is also a member of the International Coalition for the Support of Science, Research, and Innovation in Ukraine, which brings together 17 countries and provides long-term support for the development of the national research system.

During the conference, particular attention was paid to barriers hindering the development of international research projects—from the complexity of accessing funding to gaps between scientific research and applied solutions. These issues formed the basis for working sessions and the development of practical recommendations for further cooperation.

The Ukrainian side identified several priority areas where cooperation with the United Kingdom can deliver rapid impact:

• energy resilience of research infrastructure;
• development of medical technologies, particularly in diagnostics and rehabilitation;
• green recovery and the implementation of new energy solutions;
• scaling up joint research projects.

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