Burc Eruygur
15 July 2026•Update: 15 July 2026
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."
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.
