Ukraine signs Drone Deal with Lithuania, Latvia next

On May 13, Ukraine and Lithuania signed a bilateral agreement in the Drone Deal format. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the deal following a meeting with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. Zelensky stated that a Ukrainian military expert team will work in Lithuania to help strengthen the country’s and the region’s security capabilities.

Ukraine is also preparing to sign a similar agreement with Latvia to create a multi-layered airspace protection system, the Ukrainian president said after meeting Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine intends to deploy military experts to Latvia to share operational experience and assist in securing the country’s airspace. The forthcoming agreement will encompass cooperation in countering various aerial threats, specifically unmanned systems.

The initiative follows a heightened focus on air defence in Latvia after several incidents in the spring of 2026 involving drones entering its airspace. The Latvian president had previously underscored the need to strengthen air defence systems and respond to emerging security challenges in the region.

The Drone Deal format entails not only the procurement of unmanned systems but also the development of joint technological solutions, the exchange of operational expertise, and the integration of Ukrainian counter-UAS capabilities into European security frameworks. It operates as part of the international Drone Coalition project, under which Ukraine received 12,000 drones from Latvia in 2025; furthermore, Riga has pledged an additional €15 million for drone production and defence technology support in 2026.