TALLINN - The European Commission has signed a defense industry partnership with Ukraine, laid the foundation for an EU-Ukraine drone alliance, and disbursed one billion euros under the 90-billion-euro Ukraine Facility to support Ukraine's drone capabilities.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "Just as we integrate our markets, we are also deepening the integration of our defense industries. To enable our industries to work together seamlessly, we will remove obstacles and harmonize standards as quickly as possible, from defense procurement to intellectual property protection. Together, we will leverage our shared industrial capabilities to strengthen our common security."

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission Kaja Kallas said: "The battlefields of Ukraine have become a laboratory for modern warfare, and Ukrainian innovators are the best of the best. Therefore, joint defense research and development, and defense production with Ukraine is the smartest way to strengthen Europe's defense posture. In addition to EU funding and collective work in areas such as air defense, drone, and anti-drone systems, companies also need to interact with each other, and we are constantly facilitating this."

These initiatives will enable Ukrainian and EU companies to accelerate the development of vital defense capabilities, strengthen joint industrial production, and cooperate in EU-funded defense research and development.

The EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance

The EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance brings together European industrial capacity and Ukrainian expertise in drone innovation. It will build on joint ventures established between Ukrainian and European companies. The drone alliance will combine Ukraine's battlefield-tested capabilities with Europe's industrial strength and production scale, and will advance technology transfer and investment in dual-use sectors across Ukraine.

The drone alliance will also accelerate the development and production of next-generation drones and anti-drone systems. This will ensure that Ukraine receives the capabilities it needs now, while also strengthening Europe's future defense readiness.

The Commission is currently working with Ukrainian partners and the European drone community to establish the drone alliance. The first meeting of the founding members is scheduled to take place in Brussels in September.

The drone alliance is the first step in a broader model of industrial cooperation. The EU also plans to cooperate on other vital defense capabilities, including missiles and air defense systems. The new partnership will deepen the integration of the European and Ukrainian defense industries, remove barriers to cooperation, and accelerate the harmonization of standards.

One Billion Euros for Drones

The European Commission today disbursed 1 billion euros under the 90-billion-euro Ukraine Facility, which is designated for drone procurement. Drone systems are a key capability enabling Ukraine to resist Russia's war of aggression. The Commission has also approved a plan for the next 10-billion-euro disbursement to finance additional drones, missiles, and fighter jets.

BraveTechEU, the European Defence Fund, and Defense Innovation

The joint EU-Ukraine initiative "BraveTechEU," aimed at accelerating the adoption of military technology in the Ukrainian defense industry, has also moved to its next stage. Six companies were selected to advance promising defense technology: Soraccel, EdgeX Robotics, Smaesh, Kova Labs, Tempterno Defence, and Rannon. In the next phase of the program, their solutions will be tested in conditions corresponding to the Ukrainian military environment. This will help accelerate the development and deployment of technologies that meet real battlefield needs.

Additionally, Ukraine is fully involved in the European Defence Fund and the European Defence Industry Programme, which allows Ukrainian and EU companies to form consortia and jointly participate in defense research and development projects supported by the fund. The European Defence Fund, with a budget of 7.3 billion euros for 2021-2027, supports the development of cutting-edge defense capabilities and strengthens cooperation throughout the European defense industry.

Since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU and its member states have supported Ukraine and Ukrainians with a total of 216.7 billion euros, including 3.8 billion euros allocated from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets. The EU and its member states have been the largest supporters of Ukraine.