Ukraine signs Drone Deal defense agreement with Lithuania

Ukraine and Lithuania have signed a bilateral defense cooperation agreement in the Drone Deal format.

Source: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on X (Twitter); website of the President Ukraine

Details: Zelenskyy signed the agreement during a meeting with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.

Quote: “A Ukrainian military expert team will work in Lithuania to develop the necessary security capabilities, first and foremost to counter modern threats and strengthen the security of our countries and the entire region.”

More details: It was explained on the website of the President of Ukraine that the agreement provides for defense-industrial and technological cooperation, including in air and missile defense and unmanned systems. In particular, it concerns potentially localising in Lithuania the production of long-range attack, maritime, interceptor and bomber drones.

Zelenskyy said in April this year that the Drone Deal defense cooperation format involves special agreements on the production and supply of Ukrainian drones, missiles, shells and other in-demand types of weapons, military equipment and software, integration with partners’ defense systems, as well as the provision of Ukrainian expertise and the technological exchange Ukraine needs. The agreements are part of Ukraine’s arms export framework.

As of mid-May, Ukraine is working on defense agreements with about 20 countries under the Drone Deal programme for the joint development of defense technologies.

Background: Earlier, Oboronka reported that in March Ukraine reached a defense cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, agreed on security and defense cooperation with the United Arab Emirates and signed a defense agreement with Qatar.