Today, the European Commission hosted the second Board Meeting of the EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance, following a kick-off event held in September. The Alliance is an industry-led initiative which will strengthen Europe’s and Ukraine’s security by accelerating the development and production of next-generation drone and counter-drone systems, and fostering partnerships in this fast-changing domain. It brings together 18 founding members, including manufacturers, innovators, start-ups and scale-ups from EU Member States, EEA EFTA countries and Ukraine, working in coordination with armed forces.
During the meeting in Brussels, Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space, said: “the Alliance is turning ambition into motion. Companies are signing up. By building a strong Alliance we want to forge industrial partnerships and collaboration, because Europe and Ukraine complement each other. Our strengths are greater combined than apart”.
Launched during the third EU-Ukraine Defence Industry Forum in Kyiv, the EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance is a first step implementing the EU-Ukraine Drone Deal announced by President Ursula von der Leyen on 15 July as part of the EU–Ukraine Defence Industrial Pact. Through it, the Commission further ensures that Ukraine has the capabilities it needs today, while strengthening Europe’s defence readiness for the future.
Discussions on the Alliance’s governance structure concluded successfully today with the adoption of the Terms of References and the election of the Co-chairs – Quantum Systems from the EU, and UFORCE from Ukraine. Furthermore, deep discussions were held on the Alliance’s priorities – industrial collaboration, new legal frameworks, scaling-up production to address capability needs, strengthening supply chains and cutting dependencies, joint testing and innovation, and counter-drone systems.
Further information on how to join the Alliance as general members or public partners will be published shortly on the Commission’s website, ahead of a third Board meeting in early 2027.
