Ukraine hopes to sign ‘drone deals’ with seven Nato countries by end of year
A Ukrainian official said the country aims to sign significant defence agreements with at least seven NATO members by year-end, building on existing deals with six nations including three Gulf states.
Ukraine expects to finalise major defence agreements with at least seven NATO countries by the end of the year, according to Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council Davyd Aloian. The so-called "drone deals" actually cover a broader scope, including not only unmanned aerial vehicles but also expertise, knowledge, and access to components of the drone ecosystem.
In recent months, Ukraine has signed such agreements with six countries: three Gulf states – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar – as well as Azerbaijan, Latvia, and Lithuania. Interest from Gulf nations surged after they became targets of Iranian Shahed drones following the US-Israeli war on Iran that began in spring. These are the same type of drones that have been used against Ukrainian cities for four years.
Aloian explained that Ukraine first conducts an assessment by a group of experts and provides a report to the partner country, outlining what it needs. The partner then decides whether to place orders for Ukrainian products, depending on available manufacturing capacity, or procure them elsewhere. The delivery of drones themselves is not yet part of the deals, as Ukraine's industry is under tight controls and focused on its own defence.
The focus now shifts to NATO partners, especially those closer to Russia or Ukraine. In Latvia, a political scandal following a Ukrainian drone incident led to the government's fall in May, but Latvia soon signed a deal with Ukraine and announced a joint drone production facility. Lithuania, after a similar incident triggering air raid sirens, also signed an agreement. Aloian noted that several more NATO countries have expressed interest, and some agreements could be signed at the NATO leaders' summit in Ankara this week, with a target of at least seven by year-end.
Alyona Getmanchuk, Ukraine's ambassador to NATO, observed a significant change in allies' attitudes since her appointment last summer. "Now some of the same people often start conversations by saying this [about Ukraine's potential as a security provider]. It's become fashionable to talk about Ukraine in this way," she said. Meanwhile, Ukraine is also pursuing a European analogue to the Patriot missile system, capable of defending against Russian ballistic missiles – a top priority for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
