Germany will get access to Ukraine\u2019s cutting-edge drone expertise in return for extra help in war against Russia.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Published On 14 Apr 2026<\/span>14 Apr 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Ukraine and Germany have agreed a strategic defence partnership that will include cooperation in drone production and a boost for Kyiv\u2019s air defences.<\/p>\n Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the deal at a news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday in Berlin. It will grant Germany access to Ukraine\u2019s cutting-edge drone expertise, developed during its war against the Russian invasion, in exchange for additional German military support.<\/p>\n list of 3 items<\/span>end of list<\/span><\/section>\n Zelenskyy said the cooperation covers \u201cvarious types of drones, missiles, software and modern defence systems\u201d.<\/p>\n In a joint declaration, the two countries said they will \u201cstrengthen cooperation in the air defence field\u201d. Germany will \u201ccontinue supporting Ukraine\u2019s drone industry as well as establishing drone co-production ventures\u201d, it added.<\/p>\n The German defence ministry said it had agreed to fund contracts for several hundred Patriot missiles from the United States. Ukraine desperately needs additional air defence systems amid nightly Russian drone and missile attacks.<\/p>\n Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov used social media to send thanks to German counterpart Boris Pistorius for the package, which he said was worth four billion euros ($4.7 billion), calling it \u201ca massive boost for our air defence\u2026 to protect our cities and critical infrastructure\u201d.<\/p>\n Ukraine has the production capacity to turn out twice as much military equipment as it is currently deploying but lacks the funding to step up output, according to Zelenskyy.<\/p>\n \u201cWe simply don\u2019t have enough money,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Merz said the deal will not benefit only Ukraine. \u201cIt\u2019s also beneficial for us, for our security, because no army in Europe has been as battle-tested in recent decades as Ukraine\u2019s,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n The German leader added that the agreement also includes the exchange of digital combat data for the development of new weapons systems.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2017-06-08T131939Z_1189275883_RC11B0FE7F20_RTRMADP_3_GULF-QATAR-JAZEERA-1714943623.jpg?resize=96%2C96&quality=80)
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRecommended Stories <\/h2>\n