The European Commission has announced a call for founding members of the the EU–Ukraine Drone Alliance. This was reported by Yevropeyska Pravda, while an application form has also been published on the European Commission’s website.
The new structure is intended to unite manufacturers of drones and counter-drone systems from EU countries and Ukraine. Ukrainian companies will be able to apply on an equal footing with European firms and secure a seat on the board that will determine the Alliance’s priorities.
The stated aim of the initiative is to counter the current drone threat.
“Stronger European drone and counter-drone capabilities must be based on the lessons learned by Ukraine regarding the key value of creating innovative drone and counter-drone ecosystems that combine R&D with manufacturing and rely on scalable production capacities and continuous technological development,” the description states.
What are the conditions?
Applications are open to legal entities from Ukraine, EU countries, the European Economic Area and the European Free Trade Association “that are not controlled by third countries and possess expertise in the drone or counter-drone sector”.
Ukrainian companies have until 25 May 2026 to apply.
For the first two years, a Founding Council will operate, comprising selected companies and representatives of both the European Commission and Ukraine. After that period, a permanent council will be elected, with membership subject to re-election every three years.
Founding members will also be eligible to stand for election to the Alliance’s permanent council.
It is also noted that representatives of Ukraine will have veto rights on an equal footing with representatives of the European Commission.
Following the selection of founding members in early June, applications from companies wishing to join the structure will be accepted twice a year.
Membership of the Alliance is expected to facilitate the development of joint ventures, the mutual recognition of certification and technological interoperability standards, and the identification of vulnerabilities in supply chains. Membership will also provide access to testing facilities, including those located in Ukraine.
What is known in the broader context
The Alliance forms part of the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030. The document was presented by the European Commission on 16 October 2025.
“Ukraine remains Europe’s first line of defence. That is why security guarantees for Ukraine are also part of the roadmap. The strongest security guarantee is a strong Ukrainian defence industry and a strong Ukrainian army,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, adding that “Ukraine’s drone defence is world-class”.
The creation of the Drone Alliance is not the first step towards integrating the Ukrainian defence industry into the European industrial base. In November 2025, the European Commission launched the EUDIS Tech Alliance — a platform for dialogue between Member States and defence innovators. In July 2025, the BraveTech EU programme was announced, linking the Ukrainian platform Brave1 with the European Defence Fund and the EUDIS platform.
The EUDIO (EU Defence Innovation Office) is also based in Kyiv and coordinates cooperation efforts. The Drone Alliance is expected to become the next step — a body that will establish standards and priorities for the entire EU drone industry.
In September 2025 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the allocation of €6 billion for Ukrainian drone production through the Drone Alliance. The funds are to be drawn from proceeds generated by frozen Russian assets.