BUCHAREST – Defense representatives from Ukraine and Romania are advancing discussions this week about collaborative drone manufacturing through a newly established European Union funding program, according to Romania’s defense ministry.
The meetings in Bucharest bring together Ukrainian drone companies and Romanian military leadership to explore partnership opportunities under the EU’s rearmament funding initiative. Romania borders Ukraine along a 650-kilometer stretch and has experienced multiple incidents of drone incursions and debris falling on its soil since Russia began targeting Ukrainian ports along the Danube River.
Under the EU’s new SAFE rearmament program launching later this year, Romania has been allocated 16.6 billion euros ($19.2 billion). Defense Minister Radu Miruta announced plans to dedicate 200 million euros specifically toward joint drone manufacturing efforts.
“We are currently discussing how to form a team to deal exclusively with this project, with the contract signing deadline being the end of May,” Miruta stated following his Tuesday meeting with Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries Sergiy Boyev.
The defense minister noted that fifteen Ukrainian companies will participate in continued project discussions throughout the remainder of the week in Bucharest.
The current talks build upon an agreement signed earlier this month between the Romanian and Ukrainian presidents, establishing their intention to manufacture Ukrainian defense equipment, including unmanned aircraft systems, within Romanian territory.
