Ukraine and the European Union have struck a landmark “drone deal” designed to unite Kyiv’s battlefield-driven expertise with the EU’s industrial muscle, paving the way for joint projects and expanded production, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced.
“We need to combine our strengths,” Ms von der Leyen told a ceremony in Kyiv marking Ukraine’s Statehood Day.
“This deal will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe’s industrial scale,” she said.
Ms Von der Leyen said the EU could provide Ukraine with key advantages, including “huge technological and industrial capacity” and “safe and secure production sites”.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky signed three additional agreements at last week’s NATO summit in Ankara, bringing the overall number of deals to nine, he said.
The latest agreement, however, is the first structured to encompass companies and countries throughout the EU.
It forms part of a broader EU-Ukraine defence industrial partnership that will eventually extend to anti-ballistic missiles by 2028, according to the Commission.
“We will do everything necessary to build Europe’s anti-ballistic system by integrating all European anti-ballistic capabilities,” Mr Zelensky told the ceremony.
The partnership underscores the growing determination among European political leaders and businesses to draw on the expertise Ukraine has developed during the war triggered by Russia’s invasion, while strengthening their own defences against Moscow.
New initiative aims to dismantle bureaucratic obstacles
The Commission said it would collaborate with the drone deal’s 19 founding partners, including EU-based companies Indra Group, Fincantieri and Quantum Systems, alongside Ukrainian businesses such as LLC Skyfall Industries.
Ms Von der Leyen said the initiative would cut through bureaucratic hurdles and establish shared standards, making it easier for Ukrainian and EU-based companies to launch joint ventures.
Ukraine has built an advanced drone industry at remarkable speed, having possessed only limited experience in the sector when Russia invaded its smaller neighbour in February 2022.
Mr Zelensky has travelled extensively to champion drone agreements, particularly across the Middle East, where Gulf countries seeking protection from Iranian strikes have shown strong interest in Ukraine’s experience.
“The knowledge you have gained on how to work drone and anti-drone systems is truly unique,” Ms von der Leyen told Mr Zelensky.
“We must tap into this together, because we know the threats that Europe faces in this area,” she added.
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