Ukraine signed Drone Deal agreements with Estonia, Denmark, and the Netherlands on 7 July, expanding a growing network of European defense partnerships aimed at accelerating joint weapons production, technology sharing, and air defense cooperation.
The agreements were signed on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the leaders of the three countries.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine is preparing additional Drone Deals with Canada and Finland, reflecting growing Western interest in Ukraine's combat-tested defense technologies.
Ukraine’s Drone Deal network expands
Announcing the first of the agreements, with Estonia, Zelenskyy said it was the seventh Drone Deal Ukraine had concluded with international partners.
The Ukrainian President's Office said the agreement provides for joint defense-industrial development, technology cooperation, intelligence and experience sharing, and the establishment of new production facilities in both countries.
The cooperation will cover drones, air defense capabilities, sensor and early warning systems, ammunition, battlefield management systems, and maritime capabilities.
"This agreement is not only a way to accelerate cooperation between our countries. It is also a step forward and a sign of trust," Zelenskyy said.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal called the agreement "an important document" that strengthens the partnership between the two countries.
Estonia seeks access to Ukrainian drone technology
According to Estonian public broadcaster ERR, the agreement will allow Estonian companies to manufacture drones using Ukrainian technology and expertise, while giving Estonia future access to Ukrainian-made defense products.
Michal told ERR that Ukraine possesses some of the world's most advanced drone knowledge because of the war, and that the agreement would allow Estonian industry to benefit from that expertise.
"Ukraine is no longer only a recipient of security. It is becoming a security provider for Europe," Michal wrote after the signing.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur told ERR the agreement would also give Estonia access to Ukrainian battlefield systems, strengthen its air defenses, and allow Estonian companies to obtain Ukrainian export licenses to manufacture drone technologies domestically.
Denmark and the Netherlands join Ukraine’s Drone Deals
Later on 7 July, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had also signed full Drone Deal agreements with Denmark and the Netherlands.
Calling Denmark's agreement Ukraine's ninth Drone Deal, Zelenskyy said it would expand joint defense production, facilitate the exchange of expertise, and establish transparent mechanisms for defense exports.
He said Denmark – already Ukraine's leading partner under the so-called "Danish model" of financing weapons production inside Ukraine – would gain access to Ukrainian weapons exports proven in combat.
During talks with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Zelenskyy said the leaders also discussed strengthening Ukraine's air defenses, accelerating deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles, and developing future European capabilities against ballistic missile threats.
Following his meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Zelenskyy said the Dutch agreement would create additional opportunities for joint production, technology development, and systematic cooperation on expertise and defense exports.
He added that the two leaders also discussed Europe's efforts to develop indigenous anti-ballistic missile capabilities.
More agreements expected with Canada and Finland
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine is preparing a Drone Deal with Canada following talks with Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier in the day.
Following a separate meeting with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Zelenskyy said preparations are also underway for a Drone Deal with Finland, though no signing date has yet been announced.
Ukraine has increasingly promoted the Drone Deal framework as a way to integrate European defense industries with Ukraine's wartime innovations, allowing partners to jointly manufacture combat-tested systems while strengthening Europe's own defense industrial base.
In recent months, Kyiv has signed similar defense cooperation agreements with several partners, including Middle Eastern countries and NATO members Latvia and Lithuania, as it seeks to build joint production and share battlefield-proven drone expertise.
