A Ukrainian delegation arrived in Washington this week to advance negotiations on a sweeping agreement with the Trump administration that would see Kyiv share its battlefield-honed drone technology with the United States in exchange for royalties or other compensation.
Officials from both countries described the prospective accord as a breakthrough in U.S.-Ukraine security cooperation, one that carries both military and political weight.
President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have personally backed the initiative, which would mark a departure from the one-way flow of weapons aid to Kyiv.
For years, the Ukrainian military has received U.S. arms under arrangements that placed the financial burden on Washington and its allies.
Now, Ukraine is positioning itself not only as a recipient of American hardware but also as a provider of critical technology that has proven decisive on the battlefield.
“It is just a reality that we need Ukrainian drone tech in the U.S.,” said William McNulty, a partner at UA1, a U.S. venture-capital fund that has invested in eight Ukrainian defense companies. American firms produce sophisticated drones, but Ukrainian engineers have demonstrated a rare ability to mass produce low-cost, effective unmanned aerial vehicles.
Led by Deputy Defense Minister Sergiy Boyev, the Ukrainian team began several days of talks Tuesday with officials from the Pentagon and State Department.
The agreement, which could be worth billions of dollars, is expected to take months to finalize. The discussions include potential mechanisms ranging from joint ventures with U.S. companies to direct sales of Ukrainian drones for American military use.
Ukraine’s track record is considerable. The country produced more than two million drones last year alone, many of them designed for low-cost, high-volume battlefield use.
Kyiv’s industry has pioneered First Person View attack drones, marine drones and artificial intelligence applications in combat. Analysts say Ukraine can manufacture drones at 20% to 30% of the cost of Western competitors.
The deal’s political dimensions are no less significant. Kyiv is looking to solidify ties with Trump, whose support for Ukraine has been sometimes unpredictable.
Trump himself has voiced growing frustration with President Vladimir Putin, who has escalated attacks on Ukraine while dismissing White House appeals to negotiate peace. That intransigence has opened the door to expanded U.S.-Ukrainian cooperation.
For Kyiv, the drone deal is part of a broader “megadeal” that includes the purchase of tens of billions of dollars in American weaponry, Zelensky said Saturday.
Ukraine is particularly seeking long-range missiles to bolster its striking power against Russia. U.S. officials, meanwhile, are weighing Ukraine’s request for advanced systems such as the Patriot air-defense platform, Himars rocket launchers, and the Army Tactical Missile System, or Atacms.
American officials view the agreement as mutually beneficial. “The drone deal is designed to allow U.S. forces to capitalize on Ukraine’s competitive advantage in UAVs,” one U.S. official explained, noting that Kyiv in turn would use proceeds to pay for high-end American weapons.
Challenges remain. Ukrainian drones often incorporate Chinese parts, components that U.S. companies cannot use given security concerns.
Negotiators must also navigate the fact that most Ukrainian drone firms are privately owned, numbering more than 300, according to the Ukrainian Council of Gunsmiths.
Still, momentum is strong. In Europe, nations are already striking deals to integrate Ukrainian technology into their defense industries.
Britain and Denmark have signed agreements to co-produce drones, while investors from Germany and New Zealand are pouring capital into Ukrainian firms.
For Washington, the potential agreement underscores a shift long urged by conservatives: moving away from open-ended aid packages and toward partnerships where America benefits directly. As McNulty put it, Ukrainian innovation is no longer just about arming Kyiv. It is about giving the United States “a massive supply of effective domestically produced drones” at a fraction of the cost.
[READ MORE: Trump Administration Weighs Expanding U.S. Military Support for Ukraine, Including Long-Range Missiles]
