BY Rosemary
Ukraine is still awaiting approval from the White House for a sweeping drone production agreement proposed last year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday, as governments around the world reassess the effectiveness of their air defense systems following recent conflicts involving Iran and the widespread use of drone warfare.
The proposed agreement between Kyiv and Washington would establish joint production and development of multiple types of drones and integrated air defense technologies designed to operate as a unified system. According to Zelenskyy, the concept is aimed at countering large-scale aerial attacks involving hundreds or even thousands of Iranian-designed Shahed drones and accompanying missiles.
In a message posted on social media, the Ukrainian leader said the agreement has not yet been finalized because the United States has not given formal approval for the deal.
“We have not yet had the opportunity to sign this document,” Zelenskyy said, indicating that Kyiv continues to wait for a decision from Washington.
Ukraine has become one of the world’s most active laboratories for modern drone warfare since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than four years ago. The country’s defense industry has been forced to adapt rapidly as Russian forces increasingly rely on unmanned aerial vehicles to conduct long-range attacks on infrastructure, military positions and cities.
Ukrainian officials say Russia has fired more than 57,000 Shahed drones at targets across Ukraine since the war began. The figure, released earlier this week by Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, illustrates the scale of the drone campaign that has become a central feature of the conflict.
One of the most intense attacks occurred recently when Russian forces launched more than 800 drones and decoy systems during a single nighttime barrage. Such attacks aim to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses by combining real weapons with dummy targets, forcing defenders to expend costly interceptors while attempting to distinguish genuine threats.
The Shahed drones used in these attacks are relatively inexpensive compared with traditional missile systems, making them a cost-effective weapon for sustained bombardment. Their low price and ability to be launched in large numbers have forced Ukraine and its allies to rethink traditional approaches to air defense.
Zelenskyy highlighted the economic imbalance during a visit to Romania, noting that the Patriot air defense missiles widely used to intercept incoming threats can cost between three and four million dollars each. By contrast, a single Shahed drone is estimated to cost between 130,000 and 150,000 dollars.
The disparity has created a situation in which defenders are often forced to spend far more money intercepting drones than attackers spend launching them. Zelenskyy also pointed out that the United States currently produces only about 60 to 65 Patriot missiles per month, limiting the number available for deployment worldwide.
The experience of Ukraine has prompted rapid innovation in defensive technologies. Ukrainian engineers and military units have developed low-cost countermeasures designed specifically to neutralize drone swarms. Some of these systems cost only a few thousand dollars and rely on electronic warfare, automated targeting systems and small interceptor drones to bring down incoming aircraft.
These developments have drawn international attention. Several countries, including the United States and nations in the Middle East, have expressed interest in Ukraine’s drone defense technologies as they seek more affordable ways to protect against large-scale aerial attacks.
The conflict in the Middle East involving Iran and its use of similar drones has further heightened interest in such systems. Zelenskyy suggested that the evolving security environment could encourage American officials to move forward with Ukraine’s proposed drone production partnership.
Beyond its military implications, the potential agreement could also strengthen Ukraine’s position diplomatically. Kyiv has been seeking ways to secure long-term international support as it continues to resist Russia’s invasion. Joint production deals involving advanced military technology could deepen strategic ties with allies and provide leverage in any future negotiations with Moscow.
Efforts to broker a diplomatic settlement to the war have recently stalled. Talks mediated by the United States aimed at ending Europe’s largest conflict since World War II are currently on hold as international attention has shifted to the escalating tensions involving Iran. Zelenskyy said negotiations could potentially resume next week, though no firm timetable has been confirmed.
The Ukrainian president made his comments while traveling in Eastern Europe, where he has been meeting with regional leaders to strengthen defense and economic cooperation. On Thursday he visited Romania, a NATO member state that has played an important logistical role during the war.
During his trip to Bucharest, Zelenskyy held talks with Romanian President Nicușor Dan. Following the meeting, the two leaders announced agreements aimed at expanding cooperation between their countries in areas including drone production and the energy sector.
Romania has become a crucial partner for Ukraine since the start of the war. Much of Ukraine’s agricultural exports, particularly grain shipments, have been transported through Romanian ports and infrastructure after Russia disrupted traditional Black Sea shipping routes. Bucharest has also provided energy support to Ukraine as Russian strikes repeatedly target the country’s electrical grid.
Zelenskyy’s visit to Romania comes just before a scheduled meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. According to officials in the French government, the talks will focus in part on efforts to counter Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers.
These vessels are believed to transport Russian oil in ways that circumvent international sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. The ships often operate under obscure ownership structures and frequently change flags or registration to evade monitoring.
At the same time, new economic research suggests Russia has been benefiting financially from recent global developments. Analysts say the conflict involving Iran has driven up global oil prices, indirectly boosting Moscow’s export revenues.
According to the nonprofit Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, Russia’s daily income from oil sales during the Iran conflict has been roughly 14 percent higher than in February. Higher energy prices have provided a significant financial boost to Russia’s economy at a time when Western sanctions were previously putting pressure on government revenues.
Researcher Isaac Levi from the organization estimated that Russia has been earning about 510 million euros per day from exports of oil and liquefied natural gas during the current month. Much of Russia’s liquefied natural gas continues to be shipped to countries within the European Union, while China, Turkey and India together account for roughly 90 percent of Russia’s crude oil exports.
The increased revenue provides a critical source of funding for Russia’s military campaign, analysts say, helping sustain operations despite international sanctions.
Meanwhile, the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to produce strikes on energy infrastructure on both sides of the border. A senior Ukrainian official said Thursday that long-range drones operated by a special operations unit of Ukraine’s security service carried out an attack on a large oil depot and fuel transfer terminal in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region.
The official, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the operation publicly, said the strike significantly disrupted Russia’s fuel logistics network.
Russian authorities, however, reported a different assessment of the events. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned a separate drone strike targeting a compressor station connected to a natural gas pipeline supplying Turkey, describing the action as reckless.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense systems intercepted ten Ukrainian drones overnight near the facility in the Krasnodar region. Officials stated that the installation itself suffered no damage.
As both sides continue to employ drones on an increasingly large scale, military planners and policymakers around the world are studying the conflict closely. The growing reliance on unmanned systems — both for attack and defense — is rapidly reshaping modern warfare and forcing governments to rethink how they protect their airspace and critical infrastructure.
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