The draft, which was coordinated with the State Department and Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, is described as a “first step” toward an agreement that would allow the export of military technologies to the United States and the joint manufacture of UAVs with American companies.
Ukrainian officials first proposed a drone partnership to the White House in August 2025 after President Donald Trump privately praised Kyiv’s Operation Spiderweb, CBS reported. Ukrainian officials told CBS that U.S. funding would be mutually beneficial because it would help both countries scale up defense production.
“During the war in Iran, Ukraine has capitalized on innovations forged by the country's military and defense contractors over more than four years of grueling conflict with Russia,” CBS noted.
“Already, over the last two months, Ukraine has signed defense agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, and Ukrainian officials say more deals are in the works.”
Journalists added that Ukraine has made advances in weapons systems that Washington had not previously prioritized. One Ukrainian manufacturer plans to produce more than 3 million inexpensive FPV drones in 2026; by comparison, the United States produced about 300,000 in 2025.
Ukrainian companies are also developing new electronic warfare methods and equipment. Technology first developed by Sine Engineering, which recently received multimillion-dollar investments from the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, enables drones to fly without GPS guidance to reduce vulnerability to jamming.
Ukrainian officials told CBS they have felt a “lack of
support” for a drone deal from some senior Defense Department and White House
officials, especially after the outbreak of the war in Iran. CBS also noted
that Trump has publicly rejected Ukrainian attempts to supply counter-drone
technology to Middle Eastern countries.