Von der Leyen and Zelenskyy sign EU‑Ukraine drone deal

newsJul 15, 2026412,168

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an agreement in Kyiv on Ukraine's Statehood Day to jointly scale up drone production, combining the EU's industrial base with Ukraine's battle-tested expertise. Zelenskyy said during the ceremony in Saint Michael’s Square that Ukraine is making "10 million drones a year, 10 million. And it will be 20 million." Funding for the initiative will come from the €90 billion support loan to Ukraine and the roughly €10 billion still available in the SAFE defence programme. The deal allows drones to be built and stored across EU territory rather than in Ukraine to protect them from Russian strikes, with short-term storage limited to a few months before transfer to Ukraine or interested member states, particularly on the eastern flank. The Commission flagged a future plan to expand the partnership to produce ballistic and anti-ballistic missile systems, though that step remains distant. Zelenskyy will award von der Leyen the Order of Europe for supporting Ukraine. Officials noted uncertainty about how Moscow will respond to the plan.

The Kyiv Independent

@kyivindependent.com

⚡️ Von der Leyen, other European leaders arrive in Kyiv for Ukraine Statehood Day. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would announce new initiatives to integrate the Ukrainian and European defense industries.

25145d ago

NOELREPORTS

@noelreports.com

Ursula von der Leyen and leaders from Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Albania arrived in Kyiv. The purpose of the visit was not announced in advance for security reasons. Albania’s president is visiting Ukraine for the first time. #Ukraine

25545d ago

Michael Moonfella 🇺🇦1

Queen Ursula arriving for another photo op. Yawn.

Quoting this

Borislav Kandov5

А Рублен си кърпи чорапите

Kate from Kharkiv

@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social

🇺🇦🇪🇺 Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ursula von der Leyen have signed a strategic partnership agreement that will serve as the foundation for the Drone Deal. The EU will also allocate an additional €1 billion to Ukraine for drone procurement!

16145d ago

eddiethebulldog.bsky.social1

Why this is important - it’s more EU ‘local’ reliability and pulling away from a US military industrial complex that 1) seems antiquated in all but intelligence gathering for drone warfare 2) extorts customers under Trump to gain compliance with US objectives and 3) seems to be more aligned with RUS

The Ukrainian Review

@theukrainianreview.bsky.social

🇪🇺🇺🇦🇨🇳 FT: The EU has approved Ukraine using part of a €6 billion defense package to buy Chinese drone components because European suppliers can't meet demand. It shows Europe's continued dependence on Chinese supply chains for critical drone components.

16245d ago

Voyteck2

It could be price difference Even more than 200%

MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦

@maks23.bsky.social

🇺🇦🇪🇺 Zelensky and von der Leyen take step towards signing Drone Deal The President of Ukraine and the President of the European Commission signed a Letter of Intent on a Strategic Industrial Partnership. The Head of State noted that the Drone Deal will be a major defense agreement with the EU.

14345d ago

Savchenko Volodymyr

@savchenkoua.bsky.social

🇺🇦🇪🇺 Ukraine's struggle is a struggle for the freedom of all of Europe, — Ursula von der Leyen during the celebrations of Ukrainian Statehood Day in Kyiv: 🔘 The EU and Ukraine signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of drones within the framework of a new defense-industrial partnership;

12545d ago

Luke McGee

@lukemcgee.bsky.social

The EU and Ukraine have signed an industrial partnership. Very big deal - Ukraine’s know-how and EU cash. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...

11445d ago

Quoting this

Gesine Weber24

This is big - and good news for both sides and European security as a whole.

Anonymous

@youranoncentral.bsky.social

Zelenskyy made a major strategic mistake by dismissing Mykhailo. The decision is defensible only if he has a coherent plan to tackle corruption and appoint a defence minister capable of achieving twice as much, twice as fast. For now, it looks bizarre and stupid.

It has been a great honor to serve the Ukrainian people as the Minister of Defense.

Here is what our team managed to achieve:

1. Disabled Starlink access for Russian forces.

2. Took over a Ministry of Defense with zero budget, took a risk, reallocated funds from payroll from the end of the year, and effectively invested them in mid-strike capabilities, fiber-optic FPVs, low-cost reconnaissance, ground robotic platforms, interceptor drones, and deep-strike drones.

3. Launched "Logistical Lockdown", this cut off enemy logistics and initiated the isolation of Crimea.

4. Continued the funding program for the Drone Line.

5. Launched a support program for modern drone-assault units that rely primarily on advanced technologies in combat.

6. Introduced a 70% advance payment policy for procurements made via e-Points on the Brave1 Market portal.

7. Fundamentally overhauled the procurement system.

8. Procured thousands of pickup trucks, buggies, and ATVs for the military for the first time—and did so through open tenders.

9. The drone interception rate rose from 83% to 91%, and the cruise missile interception rate soared from 47% to 87%.

10. Contracted Patriot PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for the first time, and submitted an application through an EU loan to purchase PAC-3 missiles.

12244d ago

CC Gene7

He is doing ok. For a war that was supposed to be over in days. I’m sure he knows what he is doing.

Alex Niuwemann6

The reason was disagreement between the army command headquarters and the defense minister on the future strategy. He said he had to choose between Syrsky and Fedorov and obviously he chose military commanders, they are the ones fighting the war. The ministry of defense exists to enable them.

Zebriod3

Why? what? Fedorov - how can he be dismissed? Maybe Ukraine is a corrupt country after all. DONT DO IT

JJ1

Have you not been following the TЦК incidents?

@SuzanaD31

Wow. Hope it doesn't affect them

RickP1

If anyone is playing 4-D chess it’s him.

Quoting this

Anonymous120

Calls to protest the decision to sack an effective and popular MOD are already appearing all over Ukrainian online spaces.

Olga Nesterova

@onestpress.onestnetwork.com

Today, European Commission and Ukraine signed new defense industrial partnership. Commission also launched the EU–Ukraine Drone Deal and disbursed a further €1B to support Ukraine's drone capabilities under the €90B Ukraine Support Loan.

9745d ago

UNITED24 Media

@united24media.com

⚡️ EU chief Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv. “Ukraine has built a strong military momentum. The tide is turning. I will announce new initiatives to integrate our defence industries,” von der Leyen wrote.

11745d ago

European Commission

@ec.europa.eu

We’re stepping up defence cooperation with Ukraine, with: 🔹 A new Defence Industrial Partnership signed 🔹 The EU–Ukraine Drone Deal launched 🔹 An additional €1 billion to support Ukraine’s drone capabilities We #StandWithUkraine. 🔗 link.europa.eu/Vhn6qp

8744d ago

Ninguém se importa means Nobody cares2

ukraine is being taken care of and that is the best of news. Experts are also warning that russia does not follow logic, and they will keep attacking other countries, even EU or NATO ones. They know russia very well, we should heed their warnings and have a plan set up for that contingency.

ud3x 🇪🇺🇺🇦1

Excuuuuse me? I mean don't get me wrong. This is good news, but how does it then come that we are placing too much of a burden on their shoulders? 🧵👇 bsky.app/profile/ud3x...

Euromaidan Press

@euromaidanpress.bsky.social

Von der Leyen lands in Kyiv on Ukraine's Statehood Day—her 11th wartime visit She will announce new initiatives to integrate defense industries "so we can produce more, and faster," plus accession and winter talks. 📹 X/vonderleyen

9545d ago

24Hours Ukraine

@24hoursukraine.bsky.social

🇪🇺🇺🇦 “Just arrived in Kyiv for my 11th visit to Ukraine in wartime. It’s a special moment. Ukraine has built a strong military momentum. The tide is turning.” - Ursula von der Leyen President of the European Commission

6645d ago

Eugene McParland 🇺🇦

@eugenemcparland.bsky.social

President #Zelenskyy 💬 "I am delighted to welcome Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, to Kyiv. Today, on Ukrainian Statehood Day, we are quite rightly focusing a great deal of attention on our relations with the European Union.

3945d ago

Eugene McParland 🇺🇦4

We are working to open new chapters in Ukraine’s accession negotiations. We are now eagerly awaiting the implementation of the latest package of European sanctions – the 21st package to date.

Kevin Rothrock

@kevinrothrock.me

FT reports that Ukraine has won permission to spend part of a €6B EU defense loan on drone components from ... China! The loan is intended to direct weapons spending into Europe's own factories, but, well, ahem, erm... Europe can't supply the parts fast enough. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ www.ft.com/content/f6cf...

3345d ago

3 sources

euronews.comVon der Leyen and Zelenskyy sign EU-Ukraine drone deal kyivindependent.comVon der Leyen, other European leaders arrive in Kyiv on Ukraine Statehood Day euractiv.comVon der Leyen to sign drone deal with Ukraine | Euractiv

Jesús Manuel Arenas-Silva dies in ICE custody, 22nd this yearnews Von der Leyen and Zelenskyy sign EU‑Ukraine drone dealnews Sen. Susan Collins defends ICE as doing 'vital safety work'news Energy Secretary Chris Wright says AI data centers can curb rising electricity pricesnews

Von der Leyen and Zelenskyy sign EU‑Ukraine drone deal

Related