The United States and Ukraine are reportedly moving toward a potentially “landmark” drone defense agreement that could give Washington access to battlefield-tested Ukrainian technology at a time when the Iran war has exposed the growing threat, and cost, of drone warfare.
CBS News reported Tuesday that the two governments have drafted a memorandum outlining terms for a possible defense deal, citing three sources familiar with the matter. The draft, negotiated by the U.S. State Department and Ukrainian Ambassador Olha Stefanishyna, would allow Ukraine to export military technology to the United States and manufacture drones through joint ventures with American companies.
Ukraine has spent more than four years fighting Russian drone and missile attacks, including waves of Iranian-designed Shahed drones. The outlet said Ukraine has already sent drone interceptors and pilots to the Middle East to help U.S. allies defend against Shahed-type drones.
Expensive missiles have been used during the Iran war to stop cheaper drones, creating a dangerous imbalance for countries trying to defend bases, cities, and shipping lanes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said nearly 20 countries are interested in drone deals with Ukraine and that four agreements have already been signed. Reuters reported that the push has accelerated since the Iran war began in late February, with Ukraine signing defense and drone agreements with Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands, after earlier security partnerships with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. For Kyiv, the U.S. deal could help with its strained finances.
CBS reported that Ukraine’s National Security Council projects the country’s defense production capacity at $55 billion in 2026, but Ukrainian officials say Kyiv currently has funds to buy only about $15 billion worth of weapons this year. CBS also wrote that one Ukrainian manufacturer plans to produce more than 3 million low-cost first-person-view military drones in 2026, compared with 300,000 built by the U.S. in 2025.
The Pentagon has also invited Ukrainian companies to participate in its $1.1 billion Drone Dominance initiative, which aims to identify drones for U.S. military contracts. The agreement would mark a political reversal. Axios reported in March that Ukrainian officials had pitched anti-Iran drone technology to the Trump administration months earlier, including a presentation warning that Iran was improving its Shahed one-way attack drones.
According to Axios, the administration initially dismissed the proposal before seeking Ukrainian help after heavier-than-expected Iranian drone strikes. President Donald Trump publicly rejected the idea that the U.S. needed Ukrainian help, telling Fox News in March, “We don’t need their help in drone defense” and adding, “We know more about drones than anybody. We have the best drones in the world, actually,” according to CBS.
Zelenskyy appeared to hint at the emerging U.S. track this week, saying Ukraine would soon launch new security cooperation through drone deals in another part of the world. “We are preparing positive news for Ukraine,” he said, according to CBS.
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