Romania is negotiating with Ukrainian drone manufacturers to launch joint combat drone production on its territory. The initiative focuses on localization, technology transfer and a full scale manufacturing process rather than direct procurement of ready systems.
The project is expected to be financed with €200 million from the EU SAFE program, which supports defense industrial capacity. Romanian officials say the goal is to strengthen national defense production and move toward a more independent role in modern military equipment.
The parties expect to sign a contract by the end of May. Ukrainian and Romanian experts are already working on technical solutions that can be quickly implemented. Around 15 Ukrainian companies are expected to present capabilities and products.
The Ukrainian delegation is led by Deputy Defense Minister for European Integration Serhii Boiev, underlining the strategic importance of the cooperation.
SAFE is an EU initiative designed to mobilize up to €150 billion for defense industry investments. It is part of the broader ReArm Europe framework through 2030, which targets a much larger investment envelope and deeper industrial cooperation with partners such as Ukraine.
