A trio of NATO allies have joined an alliance dedicated to providing Ukraine with drones as Kyiv's war with invading Russian forces continues.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a televised address on Wednesday night that the Netherlands, Germany and Estonia had joined the "drone coalition," while adding that the coalition was "strong" and "already working" on bolstering Ukraine's drone supply.
The announcement came on the same day that NATO defense ministers were meeting in Brussels. The drone coalition already consisted of the United Kingdom and coalition leader Latvia, both members of NATO. Sweden, which is currently in the process of becoming a member of NATO, is also a member of the coalition.
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have been crucial to Ukraine's defense strategy since the Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022. "Kamikaze" drones have wrecked havoc on Russian targets, while surveillance drones acquired as part of Kyiv's "Army of Drones" program have provided valuable intelligence.
Russia has also substantially increased its investment in drones over the course of the war, with an arsenal that once consisted largely of a limited supply of Iranian "Shahed" drones now including more advanced UAVs in numbers large enough to launch daily strikes on Ukraine.
Newsweek reached out for comment to the Russian Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry via email on Wednesday night.
Zelensky previously pledged that Ukraine would improve its arsenal of drones by manufacturing at least 1 million units during 2024, potentially including UAVs capable of hitting targets located deep within Russian territory.
With additional U.S. military aid to Ukraine remaining held up amid partisan disputes in Congress, the importance of Kyiv increasing its own supply of critical equipment like drones, as well as receiving assistance from groups like the drone coalition, has become more apparent.
Dutch Defense Minister Kasja Ollongren told Reuters in an interview published on Wednesday that the expanding coalition would support Ukraine with the "latest technology" in UAVs that it needs to defeat Russia.
"Drones are very important in this war," said Ollongren. "That's why we are joining the drone coalition that Ukraine has started together with Latvia, together with other countries, to make sure that we do just that - increase production, use the latest technology and to provide exactly what Ukraine needs."
Following a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which took place on the sidelines of the NATO meeting in Brussels, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov hailed the "official" launch of the drone coalition in a post to Facebook.
"Today, the work of the Drone Coalition was officially launched," Umerov wrote on Wednesday. "Eight countries have already joined—Sweden, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Netherlands, Latvia. I am grateful to Latvia for its leadership."
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during a press conference earlier on Wednesday that the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as the "Ramstein contact group," had been "a very big success story" that "mobilized support from NATO Allies and partners," according to The New Voice of Ukraine.
"When it comes to military support, we have to remember that 99 percent of Ukraine's military assistance comes from NATO allies, including Sweden, which will soon become a member of the alliance," Stoltenberg said. "We are constantly discussing how we can ensure sustainable assistance, how we can organize it in the best possible way."
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Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ... Read more
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