On Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, Ukraine and the European Union announced a new drone production deal aimed at merging Kyiv's battlefield expertise with Europe's industrial scale to expand drone manufacturing. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed the agreement during a speech in Kyiv commemorating Ukraine's Statehood Day.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has developed a sophisticated drone industry, transforming a sector where it previously had limited experience. Kyiv has already signed similar agreements with individual countries, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently signed three more at the NATO summit in Ankara, bringing the total to nine.

Von der Leyen emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, "This deal will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe's industrial scale." She also noted the shared security challenges, saying, "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 announcement followed a summit where Ukraine and nine partner countries unveiled plans to develop a shared European shield against ballistic missiles, as Kyiv seeks enhanced protection from intensifying Russian attacks. Meanwhile, Russian strikes have caused casualties in Odesa, with three people killed and 17 wounded, according to Hryhorov.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was welcomed in Kyiv by Andriy Sybiha, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, before a day filled with diplomatic engagements.

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