As US military aid packages signed by former President Joe Biden near expiration, Ukraine is intensifying efforts to build its own defense capabilities. The Telegraph reported on 4 May that Ukrainian authorities had long anticipated a reduction in American support.
The recent minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv offered no guarantees of continued arms or security assistance, and while the Trump administration has informed Congress of plans to approve $50 million in arms exports, there is no assurance of further aid, The Telegraph notes.
Analyst Mykola Bielieskov told The Telegraph,
“In all plausible scenarios, assistance will eventually end – even if Ukraine accepts the US peace framework.” He added, “So what would be the point of agreeing to such a deal if there would be no aid left?”
Ukraine has redirected its battlefield strategy toward unmanned systems. In 2024, it produced over two million FPV drones and thousands of long-range variants capable of striking targets up to 1,700 km away. This growing arsenal is being used to build a nine-mile-wide drone kill zone along the front line, crippling Russian logistics and slowing eastern assaults. National Guard units have even conducted drone-only operations near the Russian border. These drones are now deployed for strikes, mining, evacuations, resupply, and as relays to extend machine range—forming the backbone of a new robotic warfare model.
Zelenskyy stated in 2024 that Ukraine’s defense production was split—30% US, 30% EU, and the rest domestic. With US aid in question and European efforts hampered by Washington, Ukraine faces a rare case of overfunding – more financial resources than available arms in the EU. Using the “Danish model,” the allies are now directly funding Ukraine’s defense output. $1 billion from frozen Russian asset proceeds was allocated in April to support Ukrainian arms production.
Ukraine is also hosting foreign defense firms to boost wartime logistics. BAE Systems repairs hardware locally, and Rheinmetall will service German equipment in-country. Ukrainian drone developer Ancestor said, “If you’re not in Ukraine, you don’t exist.”
Zelenskyy’s administration envisions Ukraine as “the arsenal of the free world,” yet key vulnerabilities persist. A loss of US aid would cripple intelligence and air defenses, Bielieskov warned. Long-range strike capability also remains dependent on US Himars, George Barros of the ISW said.
