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EU signs drone production agreement with Ukraine
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ Serbia /Technology

EU signs drone production agreement with Ukraine

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency New plan
  • Ukraine and the EU have signed a "drone agreement" to combine Kyiv's expertise with European industrial capabilities for joint projects and increased production.
  • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the agreement will merge Ukrainian ingenuity with European industry, highlighting Ukraine's unique knowledge in drone systems.
  • This marks the first EU-wide agreement of its kind, following Ukraine's signing of similar deals with individual countries, as it seeks to bolster its drone industry after Russia's 2022 invasion.

Ukraine and the European Union have formalized a significant partnership with a "drone agreement," aiming to leverage Kyiv's battlefield experience and the EU's industrial might to boost drone production. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the deal, emphasizing that it will "merge Ukrainian ingenuity with European industry."

This agreement will merge Ukrainian ingenuity with European industry.

โ€” Ursula von der LeyenEuropean Commission President, announcing the drone agreement.

Speaking at a ceremony in Kyiv marking Ukraine's Statehood Day, von der Leyen highlighted the unique expertise Ukraine has gained in utilizing drone and counter-drone systems since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. "We must harness this together. Because we know the threats that Europe faces... we have seen incursions and warnings in many member states (EU)," she stated, underscoring the relevance of the partnership for European security.

The agreement is particularly notable as it represents the first time the EU as a bloc is entering into such a comprehensive collaboration on drone technology. While Ukraine has previously signed similar agreements with individual nations, this EU-wide pact aims to integrate companies and capabilities across the continent. Von der Leyen suggested that the EU could offer Ukraine advantages such as "enormous technological and industrial capacity" and "safe production sites."

We must harness this together. Because we know the threats that Europe faces... we have seen incursions and warnings in many member states (EU).

โ€” Ursula von der LeyenEuropean Commission President, explaining the security relevance of the drone partnership.

Ukraine has rapidly developed a sophisticated domestic drone industry in response to the ongoing conflict. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has actively promoted drone cooperation agreements internationally, including seeking partnerships in the Middle East to counter threats posed by Iranian drones. This latest agreement with the EU signifies a strategic deepening of Ukraine's defense industrial ties with Europe.

Ukraine's knowledge of how to use drone and counter-drone systems is truly unique.

โ€” Ursula von der LeyenEuropean Commission President, highlighting Ukraine's expertise.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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