Ukraine can produce 20 million drones, but there’s a catch: Shmyhal explains

Ukraine plans to significantly ramp up unmanned systems production: by 2026, the country could manufacture up to 20 million FPV, ISR, and other drones, provided international partners supply the required funding.

This was stated by Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal following the latest Ramstein-format meeting.

He emphasized that Ramstein remains the most vital platform for coordinating military aid. Shmyhal stressed the need for decisive action to halt Russian aggression.

«Ukraine must be strong on the battlefield. I am grateful to our partners from Sweden, Latvia, Estonia, Denmark, Norway, and Slovenia for announcing new contributions to the PURL package. Thank you to the countries that have decided to join the initiative. This allows us to procure weapons urgently needed to save lives,» Shmyhal noted.

New agreements and priorities

The meeting resulted in several key memorandums to bolster cooperation. With Germany, a memorandum was signed to enhance defense collaboration and build an «effective arsenal of democracy.» Under the North-Baltic initiative, agreements were reached on training and equipping Ukrainian brigades, to be conducted in Poland—a crucial step toward peace.

«In 2026, we can build up to 20 million FPV, ISR, and other drones if partners provide the necessary financing. Thank you to the United Kingdom for our active cooperation on interceptor drones and for supplying 85,000 drones this year,» Shmyhal revealed.

Urgent request: «winter air defense package»

Shmyhal also spotlighted the critical need for air defense. He appealed to partner nations for a «winter air defense package"—a sufficient stockpile of interceptor missiles to safeguard civilians and energy infrastructure during the cold season.