European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Wednesday that the European Union and Ukraine have signed a drone cooperation agreement as part of a broader defense industrial partnership.
Speaking in Kyiv on Ukraine's Statehood Day, von der Leyen said the country had evolved from a buyer of security into "a net security provider" for Europe.
"That also entails a new way of working together. And that is why I am delighted to launch, together with you, Volodymyr, a new EU-Ukraine Defense Industrial Partnership," she said, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Von der Leyen described the agreement as the EU's "very own Drone Deal," noting that Ukraine has signed similar agreements with several countries in recent months.
She said the agreements reflect growing interest in Ukraine's battlefield experience, calling the country's expertise in drones and anti-drone systems "truly unique."
"From the technology and production of the drones to the supply chains needed to sustain the capacity. Or crucially to the knowledge on using radar systems, ground stations or sensors. We must tap into this together," she said.
"We know the threats that Europe faces in this area -- we have seen incursions and alerts across many member states," she added.
Von der Leyen said Europe has secure production sites that can help scale up manufacturing but lacks Ukraine's operational experience.
"So the point I am making is that we need to combine our strengths. Together, we can work on joint production. On making all of the components of the system work. And we can provide both defense industrial bases with the impetus needed to decisively step up investment and production," she said.
"This deal will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe's industrial scale. And with this deal our message is clear: now is the time to invest in Ukraine. To invest in Europe. And to invest in our common security and common future."
$1.1B for Ukraine drone capabilities
The European Council said the Commission disbursed an additional €1 billion ($1.14 billion) to support Ukraine's drone capabilities under the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan.
"This represents the second payment under the first €6 billion tranche of the Ukraine Support Loan dedicated to drone procurement, a key capability enabling Ukraine to withstand Russia's war of aggression," it noted in a statement.
It underlined that the disbursement follows the Commission's first instalment to Ukraine under the dedicated Macro-Financial Assistance program made 25 June.
"Looking ahead, the Commission has also approved a €10 billion ($11.4 billion) disbursement plan to finance additional drones, missiles and fighter aircraft, underlining the EU's long-term commitment to Ukraine's defence and to a stronger, more integrated European defence industrial base," it added.
Von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv earlier Wednesday for talks on integrating the Ukrainian and European defense industries, Ukraine's EU accession process and preparations for winter.
The visit is her 11th to Ukraine since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 and coincides with Ukraine's Statehood Day and the fifth Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit.
Von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv earlier Wednesday for talks on integrating the Ukrainian and European defense industries, Ukraine's EU accession process and preparations for winter.
The visit is her 11th to Ukraine since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 and coincides with Ukraine's Statehood Day and the fifth Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit.
‘Historic’
Earlier, Zelenskyy addressed the ceremony on Statehood Day, defining the creation of a European anti-ballistic missile defense project as “historic.”
Zelenskyy said the country will do "everything" to build an anti-ballistic system in Europe that unites all anti-ballistic capabilities on the continent to protect "the sky of our peoples," among other objectives.
He noted US President Donald Trump's announcement last week during the NATO summit in Türkiye about Washington giving Ukraine a license to make Patriot missiles, saying Ukraine could become the “third state in history to have this agreement and privilege.”
The Ukrainian president thanked his US counterpart for that decision, which he said is “already historic and will help save the lives of thousands of people in Ukraine.”
"And it is very important that on this path everything works out for our sides, our teams, and that missiles for the Patriots with the 'Made in Ukraine' marking become a reality as soon as possible," said Zelenskyy.
Speaking about Ukraine's long-range strikes in Russia, Zelenskyy said Ukraine, for the first time, is building its ballistic and deep strike capabilities for the first time.
"Our main goal is not Russia without gasoline, but Ukraine without Russia, Ukraine without war, Ukraine with Europe, and Ukraine and Europe without the Moscow threat," said Zelenskyy.
He went on to say that Ukraine = produces 10 million drones a year. "And there will be 20. We will do it together with our partners, once again proving the success of the defense industry," he said.
The ceremony in Kyiv was also attended by the presidents of Albania, Moldova, and Romania, as well as the prime ministers of Croatia and Slovenia, among other key foreign dignitaries.
