Ukraine proposes AI sandbox for Europe to enhance digital services

Most countries build digital infrastructure during peacetime, when budgets are stable and priorities are negotiable. Ukraine did it while fighting a war, and now it wants Europe to take notes. Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation has proposed that its national AI and Blockchain Sandbox serve as a testing ground for European digital policy. The sandbox, launched in mid-2025, has already received over 100 applications and currently hosts roughly 25 companies in active testing phases. Minister of Digital Transformation Oksana Ferchuk, appointed on July 16, 2026, pitched the concept as a way for the EU to stress-test AI governance frameworks using real-world data before codifying them into law. What the sandbox actually does The sandbox provides legal, technical, and business support to startups, all under NDA, with a specific focus on compliance with EU regulations like the AI Act and GDPR. The initiative’s scope is deliberately broad. Rather than zeroing in on fintech, as sandboxes in the UK, Denmark, and Spain have tended to do, Ukraine’s version spans GovTech, DefenseTech, MedTech, AgroTech, EdTech, energy, and science. Ferchuk, speaking at Global Tech Kharkiv 2026, framed ...