Britain, Ukraine agree drone exports, new AI center

Britain and Ukraine agreed to work together to sell drone technology abroad and deepen battlefield AI cooperation during Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to London, according to a Downing Street statement.

By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring

Britain said it will combine Ukraine’s drone expertise with the United Kingdom’s manufacturing base under a new military‑industrial partnership aimed at boosting the supply of drones and ensuring artificial intelligence is used effectively on the battlefield.

The partners will also seek opportunities to cooperate with third countries on drones, Britain said. The government announced a £500,000 (€580,000) investment in a new AI center in Ukraine to study applications on the front lines.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte joined the London talks to discuss drones, related technologies and Euro‑Atlantic security. The discussions will also explore progress on the so‑called Coalition of the Willing, which Britain said could provide support to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire and help maintain sanctions pressure on Russia.

European leaders are keen to keep Ukraine in focus as global attention has shifted to the Middle East.

Zelensky said more than 200 Ukrainians are deployed across the Middle East and Gulf region at the request of partners, including the United States. He said the deployments are part of a broader drone agreement proposed to the United States, and that Ukraine is prepared to offer similar arrangements to all its partners.

Keir Starmer said allies must not be distracted in their support for Ukraine by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, and that the war and the spike in energy prices should not deliver a windfall to Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine and its European allies hit out at a U.S. temporary waiver issued last week that allowed countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products stranded at sea.

Britain has been one of Ukraine’s biggest supporters since Russia’s 2022 invasion, consistently advocating for Zelensky and providing military equipment and munitions.

In a separate statement, Britain said it is working with Finland, the Netherlands and other countries to set up a joint defense financing and procurement mechanism to boost demand, accelerate investment and increase the availability of munitions.

Details on specific export markets and timelines for the new drone initiatives were not immediately available.