Ukraine and Germany plan joint production of advanced drones

Ukraine and Germany Forge Defense Partnership, Plan Joint Weapons Production

Ukraine and Germany have initiated plans for joint production of advanced drones and battle-tested defense systems, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during his visit to Berlin on Tuesday. This partnership marks a significant step in Ukraine’s efforts to bolster its defense capabilities as it enters the fifth year of resistance against Russia’s invasion.

“We have proposed to Germany a bilateral drone deal covering various types of drones, missiles, software and modern defense systems. Our teams are starting concrete work,” Zelenskyy said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Merz emphasized Germany’s unwavering support for Ukraine, calling it “a very clear signal” to Russia. “We will not waver in our efforts to defend Ukraine,” he stated firmly.

The announcement comes as U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have diminished amid the Trump administration’s focus on conflicts in the Middle East. Despite this shift in attention, Tammy Bruce, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, assured the U.N. Security Council on Monday that Washington “will continue to push for a negotiated and durable end” to the war.

Currently, Russia occupies approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014.

Financial hurdles continue to hamper Ukraine’s defense production capabilities. According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine has the capacity to double its current military equipment production but lacks the necessary funding.

“We simply don’t have enough money,” the Ukrainian president acknowledged.

A crucial financial lifeline for Ukraine remains tied up in European bureaucracy—a promised €90 billion ($106 billion) loan from the European Union that had been blocked by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. However, with Orbán’s expected departure following weekend elections, these funds may soon become available. Merz stressed that Ukraine needs these funds “urgently.”

Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who accompanied Zelenskyy to Berlin, announced a defense package agreement with Germany valued at €4 billion ($4.7 billion). Fedorov described the agreement as “a massive boost” for Ukraine’s air defense capabilities against Russian attacks, noting it would allow Kyiv to purchase “several hundred” American-made Patriot missiles.

Following his Berlin visit, Zelenskyy planned to travel to Norway, another key military and financial ally. Additionally, defense leaders from over 50 partner nations are scheduled to hold an online meeting Wednesday to coordinate weapons aid for Ukraine.

Ukraine faces significant challenges beyond funding. The country’s military is dealing with manpower shortages, with around 200,000 troop desertions and draft-dodging by approximately 2 million people, according to Fedorov’s January statement. Addressing this issue, Merz said Germany would help facilitate the return of Ukrainian men of military age to their homeland, emphasizing, “We need rapid, tangible progress here.”

Domestically developed unmanned platforms have become vital in Ukraine’s defense strategy. The country now produces air and sea drones, long-range missiles capable of reaching 1,750 kilometers into Russian territory, and battlefield robots that help compensate for troop shortages. This technological expertise has drawn international attention, with Zelenskyy revealing that eight Middle Eastern and Gulf countries, along with Turkey, Iraq, and nations in Southeast Asia and Africa, have approached Ukraine about security cooperation, particularly regarding battle-tested drone production.

Despite its challenges, Western analysts suggest Ukraine has achieved notable battlefield successes in recent months against Russia’s larger military force. Ukrainian forces have reportedly disrupted Russia’s spring offensive while striking oil facilities and manufacturing plants deep inside Russian territory with domestically designed long-range drones and missiles.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb, speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Monday, assessed that Ukraine “is in a much better place than it has been at any stage in this horrific war” and “is on top from a military perspective,” noting that Ukraine launched more drones and missiles at Russia last month than it received. Moscow, however, continues to claim battlefield progress, though independent verification of either side’s claims remains difficult.

Meanwhile, civilian casualties continue to mount. On Tuesday, a Russian missile attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed four civilians and hospitalized 21 others, with 10 in serious condition. In the southern city of Kherson, a Russian drone strike killed a 52-year-old woman and severely wounded a man, according to local authorities.