The UK Ministry of Defence announced on 8 October 2026 that the country's first dedicated business centre for industry in Ukraine had opened in Kyiv. According to the release, the Kyiv Business Centre (KBC) is the first of its kind in the Ukrainian capital and resulted from collaboration between the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group, industrial partners and the finance industry.

The centre is intended to give UK companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, a base for building relationships with Ukrainian partners, pursuing co-development, co-production and investment, and supporting Ukrainian firms seeking UK partners or UK-based subsidiaries. The release said the cost, security requirements and administrative complexity of operating in Ukraine had previously made a presence difficult for smaller firms.

Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the centre would help unlock opportunities for investment, growth and long-term recovery under the 100-Year Partnership. National Armaments Director Rupert Pearce met senior industry figures and SMEs to mark the start of the centre's work, which the release said builds on more than 40 major UK-Ukraine industrial partnerships.