Italy Recruits Fedorov to Help Shape Defense Innovation Strategy

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s former defense minister, on Friday accepted a role advising Italy on defense innovation, weeks after leaving President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government.

The 35-year-old will work with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on military technology, defense-sector modernization and adapting Italy’s armed forces to emerging security challenges.

The arrangement is voluntary and non-staff. Fedorov will remain based in Ukraine, where his main activities will continue to center on domestic defense projects and attracting international investment and resources.

Rome Meeting Seals Agreement

Fedorov accepted the position on Friday during a meeting with Crosetto in Rome, part of an international trip focused on digitalization and defense technology.

Their discussions covered drones, autonomous and unmanned systems, air defense and the development of a broader defense-tech ecosystem.

Fedorov portrayed the appointment as a strategic partnership rather than a move away from Ukraine.

“In this role, I will help Italy develop modern warfare technologies, improve the defense sector and adapt to new security challenges in the world. Ukraine and our team have unique experience of technological warfare which we are ready to share with our partners,” he said.

Crosetto confirmed the appointment in a ministry statement accompanying a photograph of the pair.

“I am therefore glad that Mykhailo Fedorov has accepted to offer his services as the defense innovation adviser,” Crosetto said.

Italy Looks to Ukraine’s Wartime Model

The Italian minister has argued that understanding emerging technologies is no longer sufficient.

Defense institutions, he said, must also overhaul processes so experimental systems can be converted rapidly into operational capabilities at scale.

Fedorov has made a similar case, arguing that military advantage will increasingly depend on the ability to test technologies quickly and combine them with large-scale manufacturing.

He has said Ukraine’s experience could provide the basis for a new European defense model.

The Italian role is expected to focus heavily on lessons from Ukraine’s use of drones and other rapidly developed systems during the war.

Crosetto Moved Quickly After Kyiv Exit

Crosetto approached Fedorov one day after his dismissal from the Ukrainian government in mid-July.

The Italian minister described him as an innovator who “completely changed the rules of the game on the battlefield,” crediting technology and drones with helping Ukraine hold territory and later regain initiative.

Crosetto also said resistance to rapid military change was not limited to Ukraine, pointing to similar institutional challenges in Italy, France and Germany.

Fedorov reportedly rejected comparable approaches from the U.K. and U.S. before accepting the Italian position.

From Digital Government to Defense

Fedorov served as deputy prime minister and minister of digital transformation between 2019 and 2026.

His tenure was associated with technology-focused government programs including the Diia e-government application and the Brave1 defense-tech cluster.

He was appointed defense minister in January 2026 but served only about six months.

Zelensky removed him during a July government reshuffle following tensions over procurement, mobilization and the pace of military reforms.

His departure prompted unusual wartime protests in Ukrainian cities demanding his return to government.

Fedorov subsequently rejected other positions offered by Zelensky, including an advisory role, and has called for wartime elections.

Some observers view him as a potential political rival.

Ukraine Remains Fedorov’s Base

Fedorov’s team has stressed that the Italian appointment does not mark a relocation or a shift away from Ukrainian projects.

Alongside his work with Rome, he plans to pursue initiatives including the establishment of a defense investment fund in Ukraine.

Further international meetings are planned, with a possible visit to the U.S. also under consideration.

The appointment gives Italy a direct channel to one of the officials most closely associated with Ukraine’s effort to integrate digital systems, drones and private-sector technology into wartime defense.

It also extends Ukraine’s battlefield-driven technology model further into European defense planning while allowing Fedorov to continue operating primarily from Ukraine.

There was no immediate public response from Ukraine’s presidential administration to his acceptance of the Italian role.