UK and Ukraine sign defence technology agreement to boost drone production

The United Kingdom and Ukraine have signed a significant new agreement to share battlefield technology, strengthening Ukraine’s drone production and integrating British defence industry capabilities with innovations from Ukraine’s front lines. The agreement was reached during President Zelenskyy’s visit to Downing Street, where he met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Under the deal, frontline data from Ukraine will be channelled directly into UK production lines, enabling British firms to rapidly design and manufacture advanced military equipment. Ukraine, recognised as a world leader in drone innovation with new developments occurring approximately every six weeks, will now be able to scale production with UK support.

This industrial partnership will initially focus on increasing collaboration around drone-based air defence, and later extend to joint development of future defence technologies. The agreement also aims to sustain a defence dividend for the UK by supporting domestic jobs and reinforcing British industry.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “By harnessing Ukraine’s battlefield innovation and combining it with British industrial strength, we are not only accelerating support for Ukraine’s defence, we are also delivering security for working people through our Plan for Change.” He added, “This agreement is not just about today’s fight, it’s about building the defence capabilities of tomorrow, together.”

Initial collaborations between UK and Ukrainian defence firms are expected to begin in the coming weeks, aiming to deliver large quantities of proven drones to the Ukrainian front lines. The project is part of wider efforts to resist Russia’s continued aggression and enhance Ukraine’s military resilience in the long term.

This three-year agreement builds on the UK–Ukraine 100-year partnership signed in January and demonstrates the enduring strength of their bilateral relationship. The UK has also confirmed up to £280 million in bilateral assistance for the 2025–2026 financial year to maintain support for Ukraine.

The funding will go towards humanitarian aid, energy, recovery, reform, and reconstruction initiatives, bringing the UK’s total non-military support for Ukraine since the start of the invasion to over £5 billion. This includes £4.1 billion in fiscal support and more than £1.2 billion in bilateral aid.

The new drone production efforts will be funded through the UK’s £4.5 billion military support budget this year and its ongoing £3 billion annual commitment to Ukraine in future years. The initiative also aligns with the UK Strategic Defence Review’s goal to increase autonomous capabilities within the Armed Forces.

The agreement follows close cooperation between UK and Ukrainian defence innovators and military teams and reinforces existing collaboration through the international drone coalition led jointly by the UK. It marks a forward-looking approach to shared security and defence innovation.