Lithuania plans to establish production of Ukrainian-designed drones on its territory under a bilateral defense industry agreement, expanding Ukraine's manufacturing capacity abroad while strengthening Europe's defense industrial base, according to Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT.
Ukraine has increasingly pursued joint weapons production with allied countries as it seeks to scale up output, attract foreign investment, and build manufacturing capacity beyond the reach of Russian missile and drone attacks.
Bilateral drone agreement enters implementation phase
Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas said the project will be carried out through joint investments under a defense industry cooperation agreement signed by Lithuania and Ukraine in May.
Speaking to the business daily Verslo žinios, Kaunas said his ministry was reorganizing its team to begin implementing what he described as the two countries' "drone deal."
"We have an agreement with Ukraine known as the drone deal. Changes are currently being made within the ministry's team to bring in key personnel who will begin translating that agreement into practical solutions on the ground, so that we can localize Ukrainian drone production in Lithuania," Kaunas said, according to LRT.
He said the drones would be manufactured in Lithuania using Ukrainian technology.
The agreement, signed by Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Gitanas Nausėda in May, provides for the joint production of four classes of Ukrainian drones – long-range strike drones, naval drones, interceptor drones, and bomber drones – as well as technology transfer and broader cooperation in air defense, missile defense, and unmanned systems.
Ukraine builds production capacity with allies
Kaunas said the initiative would benefit both countries by expanding Ukraine's production capacity while helping Lithuania develop its own defense industry through new manufacturing capabilities, technological advances, and cooperation between Lithuanian and Ukrainian engineers.
For Kyiv, producing weapons abroad has become an increasingly important part of its defense strategy. Manufacturing in partner countries allows Ukrainian companies to expand output, access investment and industrial capacity, build more resilient supply chains, and reduce the risk of disruption from Russian long-range strikes while giving allies access to battlefield-tested Ukrainian technology.
Lithuania was among the first countries to back the initiative, having previously agreed to finance Ukrainian long-range drone production before formalizing the broader partnership this year.
Lithuania expands cooperation with Ukraine's defense industry
LRT reported that several Ukrainian defense companies have already received approval from Lithuania's national security commission to establish operations in the country, according to Invest Lithuania CEO Elijus Čivilis.
In June, Kaunas also invited Luxembourg-based drone manufacturer Luxuav, founded by Ukrainians, to conduct testing in Lithuania, underscoring the country's growing role as a base for Ukrainian defense technology and manufacturing in Europe.
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