President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday that Ukraine has finalised three additional defence cooperation agreements with Denmark, Estonia, and the Netherlands, leveraging expertise developed during more than four years of conflict with Russia.
The accords, characterised as “drone deals,” were revealed via social media on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, bringing the total number of such bilateral arrangements to nine.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has built a highly advanced domestic drone industry from a limited baseline.
Zelensky has actively promoted these partnerships internationally, with particular focus on the Middle East, where Gulf states have sought to bolster defences against Iranian missile and drone threats this year.
Regarding the agreement with Denmark, Zelensky stated it “opens up greater opportunities for joint defence production, the exchange of expertise, and transparency in weapons exports.” He noted that Denmark was the first nation to propose joint manufacturing within Ukraine and emphasised that Copenhagen will now gain access to Ukrainian weapons systems tested in combat.
In a post on X concluding the summit’s first day, Zelensky asserted that Ukraine “rightfully belongs here” and reiterated that Kyiv’s primary objectives at the gathering were to “secure more air defence and stronger diplomatic positions.”
The push for enhanced air defences follows two Russian ballistic missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital in the past week, the most recent of which killed nineteen people in Kyiv on Monday.