Ukraine has expanded its drone diplomacy efforts in Europe after signing a major defence technology-sharing agreement with Latvia, marking another step in Kyiv’s strategy to strengthen military partnerships through battlefield expertise developed during the war with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs signed the drone cooperation agreement on Tuesday during the Ukraine–Nordic-Baltic summit in Tallinn, Estonia. The deal focuses on sharing Ukraine’s advanced drone warfare expertise, anti-drone technologies, training systems, and potential joint military production.
The agreement comes as Ukraine increasingly positions itself as a leader in modern drone warfare after more than four years of conflict with Russia. Kyiv has relied heavily on unmanned aerial systems for surveillance, precision strikes, logistics, and electronic warfare, gaining extensive combat experience that many European countries now seek to learn from.
Ukraine to Share Drone Warfare Expertise With Latvia
Following the signing ceremony, President Zelenskyy highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership, saying the agreement would strengthen the defence capabilities of both nations.
“These are concrete things to strengthen our joint defense and co-production, and, importantly, this also means Ukraine’s expertise and experience helping to strengthen our partners,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.
While specific details of the agreement have not yet been publicly disclosed, Latvian officials confirmed that the partnership would involve military technology sharing and direct operational support from Ukrainian specialists.
Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said Latvia intends to benefit from Ukraine’s frontline experience in defending against drone attacks and improving aerial defence systems.
“We need to protect our skies, and nobody knows how to do that better than Ukraine,” Kulbergs said during a joint press conference after the summit.
Ukrainian Anti-Drone Specialists to Be Deployed in Latvia
In a separate statement shared on social media, Kulbergs revealed that the agreement includes the immediate deployment of Ukrainian anti-drone combat specialists to Latvia.
According to the Latvian Prime Minister, the cooperation aims to integrate Ukrainian expertise into Latvia’s military training and defence systems.
“Its goal is to adopt Ukraine’s anti-drone expertise, technological solutions, and training from Ukrainian drone warriors in Latvia, as well as to develop joint production in the military industries of Latvia and Ukraine,” Kulbergs stated.
The move signals growing concern among Baltic nations over drone threats and electronic warfare capabilities near NATO borders.
Latvia Becomes Sixth Nation in Ukraine’s Drone Cooperation Initiative
Rustem Umerov, chairman of Ukraine’s defence and security council, confirmed that Latvia has become the sixth country to join Kyiv’s expanding international drone cooperation program.
Ukraine has been actively transforming its wartime technological advances into diplomatic and defence partnerships, offering allies access to combat-tested systems in exchange for military support, industrial cooperation, and strategic backing.
The Baltic nations — Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania — all NATO members bordering Russia, have recently reported multiple incidents involving unidentified drones entering their airspace.
Ukraine claims some of these incidents may have been caused by Russian electronic warfare systems disrupting drone navigation and altering flight paths.
Europe Turns to Ukraine for Modern Drone Warfare Experience
The Tallinn summit took place shortly after Zelenskyy returned from London, where he held high-level discussions with the leaders of Britain, France, and Germany. European leaders reiterated support for ceasefire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia while continuing military assistance to Kyiv.
As drone warfare increasingly shapes modern conflicts, Ukraine’s battlefield innovations are attracting global attention. European nations are now looking to adopt Kyiv’s expertise in drone interception, surveillance, electronic warfare, and counter-drone systems to prepare for future security threats.
Military analysts believe Ukraine’s drone warfare knowledge has become one of its strongest strategic assets, giving Kyiv influence beyond the battlefield.
Ukraine Previously Signed Similar Drone Deal With Saudi Arabia
Latvia is not the first country to enter a drone cooperation partnership with Ukraine. In March 2026, Zelenskyy signed a similar defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, citing shared concerns over ballistic missile and drone threats.
At the time, Zelenskyy said Ukraine was prepared to help Saudi Arabia strengthen its air defence capabilities using lessons learned during Russia’s invasion.
“We are ready to share our expertise and systems with Saudi Arabia and to work together to strengthen the protection of lives,” Zelenskyy stated.
In return, Ukraine has sought greater diplomatic and defence support from regional allies as the war with Russia continues.
With Europe increasingly prioritizing defence modernization and drone security, Ukraine’s expanding military technology partnerships could reshape regional security cooperation in the years ahead.
