EU chief announces ‘drone deal’ with Ukraine

KYIV - EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on July 15 announced a “drone deal” with Ukraine to boost joint production of the key battlefield technology.

“This deal will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe’s industrial scale,” von der Leyen said in Kyiv, after receiving an award from President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine has already signed similar deals with some individual EU countries and Gulf nations looking to tap into the expertise Kyiv has developed during more than four years of war with Russia.

The deals are adapted to each country, but typically involve Kyiv providing blueprints for drone technology in exchange for royalties, investments and other military hardware.

“In Europe, we already have huge technological and industrial capacity that can be deployed, and we have safe and secure production sites that can help to scale up,” von der Leyen said.

“But we do not have the battle-tested knowledge and expertise that Ukraine has forged,” she added.

“We can work on joint production, on making all of the components of the system work, and we can provide both defence industrial bases with the impetus needed to decisively step up investment and production.”

The EU is pushing to bolster its drone capabilities after a series incursions in countries along its eastern border neighbouring Ukraine and Russia.

“The knowledge you have gained on how to work drone and anti-drone systems is truly unique,” von der Leyen told Zelensky in her speech.

“We must tap into this together, because we know the threats that Europe faces in this area.”

Von der Leyen did not give any details on how much – if any – new funding was involved in the deal.

At a press conference with von der Leyen, Zelensky praised the drone deal as a “historic step” in relations and called for Europe to further help finance its anti-ballistic missile programme.

An air alert sounded shortly after the press conference concluded.

Europe is Ukraine’s main backer in its war against Russia, and recently starting paying out a €90 billion (S$133 billion) loan to help Kyiv arm its troops and plug holes in its budget.

An initial €6 billion of the loan is going towards helping ramp up Ukraine’s drone production.

Drones dominate the front line in Ukraine, inflicting heavy casualties on attacking Russian forces.

Kyiv has also honed it abilities to shoot down Russian attack drone targeting cities across the country.

Zelensky in a speech said that Ukraine was now producing 10 million drones a year and aimed to double that output.

“We will achieve this together with our partners, once again proving the success of Ukraine’s defence industry, and of our partners’, and of Europe’s,” he added. AFP