Ukraine’s Zelensky signs ‘drone deals’ with three countries

ANKARA: President Volodymyr Zelensky ‌said on Tuesday that Ukraine had signed three more “drone deals” with Denmark, Estonia and the Netherlands, making ​available its expertise gained from more than four years of war with Russia.

Zelensky announced the deals in posts on social media on the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara and said that Kyiv had now clinched ‌nine such ‌accords.

Ukraine has developed a ​highly ‌sophisticated ⁠drone ​industry after having ⁠only limited expertise in the sector when Russia invaded its smaller neighbor in February 2022.

Zelensky has traveled widely to promote the deals, particularly in the Middle East, where Gulf countries were obliged this year ⁠to counter Iranian strikes.

In announcing the ‌deal with Denmark, ‌Zelensky said the agreement “opens up ​greater opportunities for ‌joint defense production, the exchange of expertise, and ‌transparency in weapons exports.”

He said Denmark had been the first country to offer joint production in Ukraine “and it is absolutely fair that Denmark will ‌now have access to Ukrainian exports of weapons tested in war.” In a ⁠post ⁠on X at the end of the first day of meetings, Zelensky said Ukraine “rightfully belongs here” and repeated that Kyiv’s main aim at the gathering was to “secure more air defense and stronger diplomatic positions.”

Zelensky has pointed to Ukraine’s need to boost defenses against Russian ballistic missiles after two attacks on the Ukrainian capital in the ​past week. Nineteen ​people died in Kyiv in the latest assault on Monday.