Ukraine is working on defence agreements with at least seven NATO countries by the end of 2026, according to The Guardian. The deals are with countries that want to buy Ukraine's expertise—not just drones themselves, but everything Ukraine has learned from four years of using drones in war.

Ukraine has already signed agreements with six countries: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Latvia, and Lithuania. When Ukraine calls these "drone deals," it means much more than just the aircraft. The agreements include combat lessons, spare parts, sensors, control systems, and radar technology. Ukraine is taking everything it has learned from fighting Russia and turning it into a product other countries want to buy.

How Fast This Is Moving

The pace has been remarkable. Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands signed agreements in April 2026, according to Reuters. In June 2026, Latvia and Ukraine signed their deal, which also brought Estonia, Lithuania, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway into related agreements, Reuters reported. On June 30, the European Commission gave Ukraine €3.9 billion to spend on drone production, Reuters reported — real money Ukraine can use to build and buy equipment.

Why Now?

This accelerated in spring 2026 for a specific reason. The US and Israel were fighting Iran, and Iran launched attacks on countries in the Middle East using drones and missiles. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar suddenly faced real threats from drone attacks. They needed to learn from someone who had been fighting drones for years. Ukraine had exactly that knowledge.

By May 2026, President Zelenskiy said nearly 20 countries wanted these deals, as Reuters noted. In June, he told NATO that Ukraine was offering deals to EU members and other partners too. NATO and Ukraine also started a joint programme in March 2026 to help countries build better drone defences.

This is a significant shift. Earlier in the war, Ukraine was asking other countries for help. Now Ukraine has something other countries need—and that gives it bargaining power.

The Complications

But there are problems. Reuters reported on May 27, 2026 that Ukrainian drones had flown into Baltic airspace without being detected. That exposed gaps in NATO's air defences and made partner countries nervous about buying Ukrainian technology without strict safety controls.

There is also the simple fact that Ukraine is still fighting Russia. On July 1–2, 2026, Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine with missiles and drones. Signing agreements is one thing; actually building and sharing the technology while defending your own country is much harder. The countries buying these deals will be watching whether Ukraine can actually deliver.