During his visit to Bucharest, President Volodymyr Zelensky held high-level discussions with Romanian leader Nicușor Dan, focusing on security and defense cooperation. According to the official press service of the President of Ukraine, a central theme of the talks was the proposal to collaborate under the ‘Drone Deal’ framework. This initiative aims to streamline international cooperation in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, a critical asset in modern warfare.
Zelensky expressed gratitude for the invitation to the Bucharest Nine summit and emphasized that technological partnership is becoming a cornerstone of Ukraine’s defense strategy. Following a recently signed agreement with Lithuania, Kyiv is actively expanding this model. “We are moving toward deep technological integration with our partners,” Zelensky noted. The Romanian side agreed that their teams would begin working on the technical details of the proposal immediately.
Beyond military technology, the leaders addressed Ukraine’s path toward European integration. Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine is prepared to move toward opening negotiation clusters and expects Romania’s continued support in this diplomatic endeavor. The discussion also touched upon the implementation of bilateral agreements made during previous meetings in March, including cultural and educational cooperation regarding the Romanian minority in Ukraine.
The ‘Drone Deal’ initiative is gaining significant international momentum, with approximately 20 countries currently expressing interest in participating. Additionally, Ukraine and the United States have prepared a draft memorandum to define the parameters for potential joint drone production. This growing network of defense cooperation signals a shift in how Ukraine builds its domestic military-industrial base, leveraging external expertise and manufacturing capacity. As the conflict intensifies, the ability to rapidly produce and deploy sophisticated drone technology remains a top priority for Kyiv’s strategic planning and international engagement.