Ukraine and Romania launch joint production of drones

Ukraine and Romania plan to jointly develop and produce drones under a new EU defense financing mechanism, Reuters reported, emphasizing the strategic importance of such a partnership for both countries.

Romania shares a 650-kilometer border with Ukraine, and since the start of the full-scale war, Russian drones have repeatedly violated its airspace. According to official sources, Russian drone debris has fallen on Romanian territory more than 20 times, highlighting the need for effective countermeasures.

Negotiations between Kyiv and Bucharest have already begun. Ukrainian drone technologies are "tested in combat conditions on a large scale," making them valuable for the Romanian defense sector. The joint project is planned to be implemented within the framework of the EU's SAFE (Security Action for Europe) rearmament initiative.

Under the SAFE program, Romania will receive 16.6 billion euros, which will allow it to finance military purchases at the level of about 1% of GDP annually for the next five years. It is expected that part of these funds will be directed to the joint production of drones and the modernization of defense systems.

Currently, Romania’s air defense system includes F-16 fighters, Patriot systems, HIMARS rocket systems, South Korean Chiron missiles and German Gepard anti-aircraft guns. According to sources, Chiron and Gepard are considered the most economical means of countering drones, but covering the entire border with such systems is extremely expensive.

The growing tension on Europe’s eastern flank is also confirmed by recent incidents: Estonia accused Russia of violating its airspace, Denmark temporarily closed airports due to suspicion of drones, and NATO aircraft shot down Russian drones over Poland. These events highlight the urgent need for innovative counter-drone systems, making the Ukrainian-Romanian partnership particularly relevant.