Kyiv seeking ‘drone deals’ with seven Nato countries this year

Ukraine hopes to sign defence deals with at least seven Nato countries by the end of the year, according to a top official, highlighting a new aspect of its foreign policy aimed at showing it can be a provider of military hardware and expertise as well as a recipient.

- Shaun Walker

Kyiv has signed “drone deals” with six countries in recent months. Three are Middle Eastern states, which became eager for Ukrainian support after being targeted with Iranian Shahed long-range drones after the US-Israeli war on Iran began.

These are the same weapons that have targeted Ukrainian cities relentlessly over the past four years. Azerbaijan has also signed an agreement with Kyiv, as have the Nato members Latvia and Lithuania.

“The initiative is called the drone deal, but it actually covers way more than just drones,” said Davyd Aloian, deputy secretary of Ukraine’s security council and one of those in charge of the deals.

“What’s even more important is the experience and knowledge, the access to all the components that form the system here in Ukraine.”