EU Allocates €2 Billion for Drones to Support Ukraine’s Defense

The European Union plans to allocate 2 billion euros for drones to Ukraine, emphasizing that Ukraine is currently the “first line of defence of Europe” in the context of the continent’s security.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, spoke ahead of a meeting of the College of Commissioners for Defence together with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. After the meeting, they outlined the next steps for support and discussed the role of drones in the EU’s modern defence.

“We have agreed with Ukraine that we will allocate a total of 2 billion euros for drones. This will allow Ukraine to scale up and unleash its full potential. And, of course, this will also enable the European Union to make use of this technology”

The President of the European Commission emphasised the strategic value of defence assistance and support for implementing the “Eastern Flank” initiative, which aims to create the so-called “drone station” to defend the EU’s external borders and strengthen the Union’s defence capabilities. She also noted that over the last 1,000 days Russia has made significant strides on the battlefield, but control over parts of the occupied territories remains a challenge.

Von der Leyen outlined the EU’s planned next steps in defence, notably through the SAFE instruments and the updated White Paper on Defence. Plans for further action will be discussed by leaders at the informal EU summit in Copenhagen.

In the context of regional security, the significance of joint EU and NATO efforts is also growing: reports of airspace violations and the corresponding responses by allies – drone incidents attributed to Russia have been recorded in several countries, notably Poland and Estonia. Separate mentions are made of events in Romania, as well as written and diplomatic responses to requests from international bodies, including the United Nations Security Council and the North Atlantic Council. These cases underscore the need to strengthen cooperation between the EU and NATO and to coordinate actions to support Ukraine and reinforce the eastern flank.

Experts emphasise that further steps should be aimed at strengthening defence integration, coordinated actions among allies, and heightened security measures on Europe’s borders to ensure stability and to respond to new challenges in the region.