Ukraine and Latvia agree on joint drone development plan
Ukrainian and Latvian defense ministers Mykhailo Fedorov and Raivis Melnis have coordinated joint directions for unmanned systems development, including supply of Latvian-made anti-drone weapons.
Drone cooperation between Ukraine and Latvia
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov met with his Latvian counterpart Raivis Melnis on Saturday, June 13, to coordinate joint work directions in the field of unmanned systems. During the meeting, the officials discussed further steps in cooperation, with a particular focus on technologies to counter air threats.
Fedorov stated on social media that Ukrainian technologies and combat experience help partners adapt faster to the challenges of modern warfare, while allied support allows for faster scaling of solutions already proven on the battlefield.
Practical steps and Drone Deal
The ministers' conversation placed special emphasis on developing partnership within the Drone Deal framework and launching new joint projects. The parties identified priority directions for using partner resources to strengthen Ukraine's defense forces.
Among the practical areas of cooperation, Fedorov mentioned the supply of Latvian-made anti-drone systems, as well as unmanned systems for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This includes attack drones, ground robotic complexes, and maritime unmanned vehicles.
It is recalled that on June 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a visit to Estonia for the Nordic-Baltic Eight summit, held his first meeting with Latvia's new Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, signing an agreement on unmanned aircraft, the so-called Drone Deal. During the summit, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine could send experts to the Baltic states to help them protect against "stray" Ukrainian drones.
