The initiative is intended to accelerate the development and production of next-generation drone and counter-drone systems while fostering closer industrial partnerships. The Commission said the alliance will support European and Ukrainian security by combining technological development with greater production capacity and faster delivery.
“European airspace is being tested with repeated drone violations over airports, military installations and critical infrastructure,” said Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space. “In Ukraine, this threat is a daily reality.”
Kubilius said the challenge extends beyond technological capability to the speed and scale at which industry can deliver new systems. “We need design cycles in weeks, not months, and countermeasures that keep pace.”
The EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance was launched during the third EU-Ukraine Defence Industry Forum in Kyiv. It is the first step in implementing the EU-Ukraine Drone Deal announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 15 July as part of the EU-Ukraine Defence Industrial Pact.
“The EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance will address that gap,” Kubilius said, referring to the need to improve both technological development and industrial delivery capacity. The 18 founding members will now move forward with the activities agreed under the initiative.
The Commission said further information on joining the alliance as a general member or public partner will be published on its website shortly. The guidance will be released ahead of the alliance’s second Board meeting.
