The EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance held its first board meeting in Brussels on 11 September 2026. Founding members will now work on agreed activities, according to the Commission, with another board meeting planned before year-end. The public announcement does not identify individual projects or the companies responsible for them. Commission announcement, reproduced by PubAffairs, Commission press briefing.
The clearest industrial priorities came from Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius. In his published opening remarks, he asked members to bring forward joint ventures, licensing arrangements and co-production projects, with initial results before the end of the year. These were his requests to the industry-led alliance, rather than a published list of board-approved projects. Published opening remarks.
Joint production and faster development
Kubilius asked companies to identify the obstacles holding cooperation back, including access to components, testing facilities, certification, intellectual property and skilled workers. He also called for closer contact between manufacturers and military operators to shorten development and procurement cycles. Published opening remarks.
Production readiness was another priority. At the press briefing, he described the need for factories that can maintain lower output during quieter periods and increase production rapidly when demand rises. The emphasis was on learning how Ukraine develops and manufactures equipment under wartime pressure, alongside cooperation on the equipment itself. Commission press briefing, European Pravda reporting from Brussels.
Ukraine's deputy defence minister, Serhiy Boiev, addressed the meeting remotely. He described the alliance as a way for Ukrainian and European companies to influence industrial policy and make it more responsive to current needs. EU Perspectives.
Participation beyond the founding companies
The Commission will publish information on joining as general members or public partners ahead of the next board meeting. Its announcement does not yet give an application deadline. Commission announcement.
Kubilius explicitly called for the alliance to remain open to startups, component manufacturers, software developers and end users. The forthcoming membership arrangements will explain how organisations outside the founding group can participate. Published opening remarks, Commission announcement.
Background: The EU-Ukraine Drone Deal: What It Changes for Europe's Drone Industry.