The European Union has announced a new drone partnership with Ukraine aimed at expanding joint production and strengthening Europe’s defence technology capabilities.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the agreement during a visit to Kyiv on Wednesday, saying the initiative would combine Ukraine’s battlefield expertise with Europe’s industrial and technological capacity.
“This deal will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe’s industrial scale,” von der Leyen said after receiving an award from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine has developed extensive expertise in drone and counter-drone technology during more than four years of war with Russia. Kyiv has already reached similar agreements with individual European Union members and Gulf countries seeking access to Ukrainian defence technology and operational knowledge.
While the structure of the agreements varies, such partnerships typically involve Ukraine providing drone designs and technological expertise in exchange for royalties, investment and military equipment.
Von der Leyen said Europe has significant industrial capacity and secure production facilities that could help rapidly scale up drone manufacturing. However, she acknowledged that Ukraine possesses unique battlefield-tested knowledge that European countries currently lack.
The partnership is expected to focus on joint production, strengthening supply chains and expanding investment across the Ukrainian and European defence industries.
The EU has increasingly prioritized drone and counter-drone capabilities following a series of incursions affecting countries along Europe’s eastern border near Ukraine and Russia.
Von der Leyen said Ukraine’s experience operating drone and anti-drone systems is “truly unique” and could help Europe respond to emerging security threats.
No details were provided on whether additional funding would be allocated specifically to the new drone partnership.
Europe remains Ukraine’s largest international supporter in its war against Russia and has begun distributing a €90-billion loan to help Kyiv finance military operations and support its national budget.
An initial €6 billion from the funding package is being directed toward expanding Ukraine’s drone production capacity.
Drones have become a central feature of the war, playing a major role in frontline operations and attacks on military targets. Ukraine has also expanded its ability to intercept Russian attack drones targeting cities and critical infrastructure.
Zelensky said Ukraine is currently producing approximately 10 million drones annually and plans to double its production capacity with support from international partners.
The Ukrainian president said deeper cooperation between Kyiv and its allies would demonstrate the growing strength of Ukraine’s defence industry and Europe’s broader military manufacturing capabilities.
