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The European Commission’s allocation of €1 billion for drone procurement will help strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and advance the integration of Ukrainian battlefield expertise into Europe’s defense industry, foreign and domestic policy expert Liudmyla Pokrovshchuk said on FREEДОМ, UATV English reports.
The funding is part of the defense component of the EU’s €90 billion loan program for Ukraine and is intended to support the development and procurement of unmanned technologies.
Pokrovshchuk stressed that both the quantity and technological sophistication of drones are crucial, as systems used only six months ago can quickly become obsolete amid the rapid evolution of modern warfare. She noted that Russia continues to introduce new drone modifications, while Ukraine has been developing asymmetric responses to emerging threats.
According to the expert, European support for Ukraine increasingly reflects a two-way defense partnership. While the EU is helping strengthen Ukraine’s capabilities, European countries are also interested in integrating Ukraine’s combat experience and defense innovations into the continent’s broader security architecture.
Pokrovshchuk pointed to the opening of Cluster 6 in Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations, which covers foreign relations as well as security and defense issues, as part of the legal foundation for deeper integration.
She also highlighted the EU’s defense White Paper, updated in March 2025, saying Ukraine plays an important role in Europe’s emerging defense architecture. The next stage, she said, involves the practical integration of Ukraine into the EU’s defense and security sector.
According to Pokrovshchuk, further discussions over the EU’s mutual assistance clause under Article 42.7 and potential updates to European defense policy could deepen Ukraine’s integration into the continent’s future security system.
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