EU and Ukraine sign agreement to strengthen joint drone production

On July 15, 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv to announce a new partnership agreement between the European Union and Ukraine. The deal is specifically focused on accelerating the joint production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to bolster defense capabilities. The agreement was signed in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. While official announcements emphasize regional security cooperation, the Financial Times reported that the agreement may allow Ukraine to utilize EU-provided loan funds to purchase Chinese-made components for these drones. This dual-source approach to production marks a significant deepening of industrial ties between the EU and the Ukrainian defense sector. No further details were provided regarding the exact volume of funding or the specific technical specifications of the drones involved in the project.