EU and Ukraine forge defense-industrial pact to harness Kyiv's drone expertise

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the launch of a new defense industrial partnership between the European Union and Ukraine during her visit to Kyiv, where she received Ukraine’s first-ever Order of Europe from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Von der Leyen said Ukraine has in many ways moved from being a buyer to a net security provider for Europe, and that the partnership will establish a new framework for joint cooperation on defence production and supply chains.

The plan will focus on leveraging Ukrainian strengths in drone technologies and counter-drone systems—covering production, supply chains, radar, ground stations and sensor technologies—to boost European capabilities after several member states faced drone incursions. The announcement coincides with the EU launching a new stage in accession negotiations with Ukraine, signalling deeper political and security integration, as reported by SANA