'Combine our strengths': EU, Ukraine sign multi-billion 'drone deal' to counter Russia

The European Union and Ukraine have signed a landmark "drone deal" to combine Kyiv's battlefield expertise with European industrial capacity for joint production, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday."We need to combine our strengths," von der Leyen said in a speech in Kyiv. "This deal will bring together Ukrainian ingenuity and Europe's industrial scale."The agreement, expected to provide up to €2 billion in new funding, marks the first EU-wide defence partnership with Ukraine. Half of the funds will go toward expanding joint production of drones and missiles, while up to €1 billion will be invested in Ukrainian defence companies manufacturing dual-use equipment.Ukraine's drone expertise meets European scaleVon der Leyen said Ukraine's knowledge of drone and anti-drone systems was "truly unique," adding: "We must tap into this together.