The European Union has called on companies to join an alliance with Ukraine to develop drone production in Europe, the European Commission announced on Tuesday, according to AFP, as reported by Agerpres.

This alliance aims to bring together manufacturers, innovators, and users from the EU and Ukraine to “contribute to ongoing European efforts to build a comprehensive drone and counter-drone capability,” the Commission stated in a press release. The alliance will also be open to member states of the European Economic Area, such as Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland.

To this end, the European Commission is asking companies with proven experience in the production of drones and counter-drone systems to express their intention to join the initiative by May 25.

Faced with the Russian threat and the prospect of a U.S. withdrawal from Europe, EU countries are seeking to strengthen their defense capabilities, including by developing drone production—weapons that have become essential due to their combination of relatively low cost and increasing effectiveness.

Kyiv has acquired widely recognized expertise in this field, which the EU wishes to leverage to strengthen its own capabilities.

The launch of this drone alliance will be coordinated with EU member states, some of which, such as Germany, have already signed agreements with Ukraine in this area.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy launched a strategic partnership in mid-April based on military cooperation, particularly regarding drones.

Zelensky announced at the time that the two countries are also working on a bilateral agreement regarding drones.

source – AGERPRES