Under the agreement, the European Union will leverage the bloc's industrial and technological capabilities, combined with Ukraine's extensive practical experience in developing and operating UAVs.
The deal is built around joint ventures between Ukrainian and European companies and aims to rapidly scale up production, enable companies on both sides to cooperate more seamlessly, meet Ukraine's needs, and strengthen Europe's security.
Wednesday's deal is intended to cover countries and companies across the EU, following bilateral arrangements established between Ukraine and several individual EU members. It’s part of a broader EU-Ukraine industrial defense partnership that includes 19 defense companies from the two sides.
In addition to drone production, the EU and Ukraine plan to develop counter-drone systems by the end of 2026, and expand to anti-ballistic missiles in later phases.
