'Combine our strengths': EU, Ukraine sign multi-billion 'drone deal' to counter Russia

The European Union and Ukraine have signed a landmark "drone deal" to combine Kyiv's battlefield expertise with European industrial capacity for joint production, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday."We need to combine our strengths," von der Leyen said in a speech in Kyiv. "This deal will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe's industrial scale."The agreement, expected to provide up to €2 billion in new funding, marks the first EU-wide defence partnership with Ukraine. Half of the funds will go toward expanding joint production of drones and missiles, while up to €1 billion will be invested in Ukrainian defence companies manufacturing dual-use equipment.Ukraine's drone expertise meets European scaleVon der Leyen said Ukraine's knowledge of drone and anti-drone systems was "truly unique," adding: "We must tap into this together. Because we know the threats that Europe faces in this area — we have seen incursions and alerts across many member states."The deal commits Brussels and Kyiv to launching joint production of drones and anti-drone systems "in the shortest possible term" this year. For the first time since Russia's invasion began, Ukraine could store some of its drones on EU territory, out of range of Russian attacks.A broader "missile deal" is also proposed, potentially allowing joint production of missiles, including Ukraine's Freyja interceptor, as early as 2028.The agreement comes as Russian attacks continue. Overnight strikes on Kyiv reportedly caused fires at two warehouses, with windows shattered at a school and a crater found outside the building. In the eastern Kharkiv region, 11 people, including an 11-year-old child, were injured in drone and artillery attacks.European defence shiftThe deal follows Monday's launch of a joint air defence program by Ukraine and nine European countries to build a "shared ballistic missile defence capability for Europe." President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said stronger air defence could bring an end to the war closer."The more means Ukraine has to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles, the greater the chance that Putin will come to the negotiating table," he said.Catch the latest world news and top headlines. Download the TOI App.