The "Drone Deal" in Kyiv: The West Increasingly Views Ukraine As a Partner in Defense and Technology
On July 15, 2026, on Ukraine's Statehood Day, Kyiv became the center of major geopolitical decisions. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, along with leaders from Southeast European nations, arrived in the Ukrainian capital for an official visit. The day's highlights included the signing of a massive joint drone production agreement.
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"Drone Deal": From Procurement to Joint Production
During the official events, Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the signing of a defense-industrial partnership, widely dubbed the "Drone Deal".
This is the first agreement of its kind to span countries and defense firms across the entire European Union, replacing the previous patchwork of bilateral agreements (such as the one with Denmark).
The deal is built on a win-win principle:
\-Ukraine gains access to European industrial capacity, significant financial backing (including under a €90 billion credit program), and secure manufacturing sites.
\-The European Union benefits from Ukraine's unparalleled, real-world combat experience in drone technology and electronic warfare (EW) systems.
A crucial detail of the agreement is the storage of manufactured drones in secure EU terrytories, ensuring they cannot be destroyed by Russian airstrikes before they are deployed to the front lines.
"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 that battle-tested knowledge and expertise that Ukraine has forged. So the point I am making is that we need to combine our strengths."
20 Million Drones Per Year?
Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the rapid expansion of Ukraine's defense-industrial complex. While initial plans to manufacture 1 million drones annually were met with skepticism, today’s reality has vastly exceeded those expectations.
"We are making 10 million drones a year – 10 million. And it will be 20 million," Zelenskyy said.
Funding will come from two EU sources: the €90 billion support loan to Ukraine and the roughly €10 billion still available in the SAFE defence programme.
Until now, several EU countries have signed individual deals with Ukraine to tap into its technological ingenuity. The agreement endorsed on Wednesday adds a broader dimension by making the partnership available to all member states.
The 5th Ukraine–Southeast Europe Summit
In parallel with bilateral defense talks, Kyiv hosted the 5th Ukraine-Southeast Europe Forum. Foreign dignitaries and leaders traveled to the capital to participate, including President of Moldova Maia Sandu, President of Romania Nicușor Dan,President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić.
According to Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, the summit's core focus areas included joint efforts to bolster security across the European continent, multilateral political cooperation on the path to EU integration, preparing energy infrastructure for the upcoming challenging winter, expanding defense cooperation in the Black Sea region.
This visit, marking von der Leyen's 11th trip to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, signals a profound shift in EU-Ukraine relations. Against the backdrop of Ukraine's successful long-range strikes against enemy logistics, the West increasingly views Ukraine not just as a recipient of aid, but as an equal partner in defense and technology.
Sources: President of Ukraine, Euronews, The Kyiv Independent