Germany Allocates €300 Million for Long-Range Drones
Germany has taken a significant step toward enhancing Ukraine's defense capabilities by investing in long-range drone production. On September 9, at the Ramstein-format meeting in London, German Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, announced a €300 million initiative for the joint procurement of drones with Ukraine’s defense industry.
Minister Pistorius explained that this initiative aims to expand Ukraine’s capacity to conduct operations beyond the front lines and improve defensive measures. He characterized the program as a "deep strike" initiative designed to substantially increase Ukraine’s ability to disrupt adversarial activities behind enemy lines. The contracts for this project are to be executed directly with Ukrainian companies, ensuring rapid procurement and reinforcing Ukraine’s technological foundation. Several thousand long-range drones of various models will be delivered, offering adaptability and scalability to meet evolving requirements. Additionally, this framework invites further participation from international partners willing to contribute funding.
“This initiative encompasses a series of agreements with Ukrainian enterprises valued at €300 million, facilitating the delivery of thousands of domestically produced long-range drones and allowing for future expansion,” Pistorius stated. “We welcome the involvement of all our international partners.” This decision represents a move towards deeper collaboration between Germany and Ukraine’s defense sectors, shifting from solely providing Western-made equipment to direct investment in Ukrainian manufacturing.
Long-range drones have demonstrated their effectiveness in targeting logistics, airfields, and key infrastructure within Russian-occupied areas and inside Russia itself. Expanding this capability is expected to maintain and intensify operational pressure. Minister Pistorius reaffirmed Germany’s ongoing commitment to Ukraine, both militarily and politically.