Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, currently in Denmark, commented on the agreement regarding Ukrainian-American drone production, specifically interceptor drones, noting that preliminary cooperation has now entered the business realm. Reports 24brussels.
In an official statement on his Telegram channel, President Zelensky announced that Ukraine has signed a deal with the American company Swift Beat. This agreement encompasses the production of hundreds of thousands of drones this year, with significant scaling anticipated for the following year. The deal includes interceptors for neutralizing enemy drones and missiles, reconnaissance quadcopters, and long-range strike drones, all aimed at enhancing Ukraine’s defense capabilities and protecting its citizens.
“Today, we began our visit to Denmark with a crucial meeting and signing. This is a co-production between Ukraine and the United States. Several companies will focus primarily on various types of drones. Critically, this year, we expect hundreds of thousands, with an increase next year,” Zelensky emphasized.
The agreement primarily emphasizes interceptor drones, which have already proven effective in Ukraine against the frequent daily attacks from Russian UAVs.
“We greatly hope to shoot down ‘Shaheds’ in large quantities. This is a good start to work in this direction. We also agreed with our partners that some of our productions will have access to relevant technologies, which could speed up the production increase,” he added.
Zelensky highlighted additional key topics to be discussed during this visit, including strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities and Euro-integration issues, particularly regarding the opening of clusters.
“Technically, we are ready to open three clusters. We want to open one now, but there are political blockages. Exclusively political. We will discuss this with our partners today,” the president noted.
Zelensky stated that there are two critical areas requiring immediate coordination, focusing on domestic financing for arms production in Ukraine. Ukraine is pinning great hopes on the European Union for this support.
“What we just signed requires substantial funding. I am counting on our relations with Denmark. Denmark supports the continuation of the Danish model and financial expansion. The respective drones, as I mentioned, are essential. Additionally, there is a missile program. I will discuss these details with both Denmark and Ursula von der Leyen, as well as with António Costa,” the head of state concluded.
According to the President’s Office, Swift Beat, LLC is “an American company with a significant presence in Ukraine that specializes in the production of autonomous drones with artificial intelligence and actively collaborates with Ukrainian engineers and military personnel, conducting drone testing in Ukraine.”
