Second Time’s the Charm: Ukraine and Estonia Sign Drone Deal

The President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of Estonia signed a Drone Deal on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.

This was reported by Suspilne.

During the meeting, Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Estonia for its comprehensive support of Ukraine, particularly for its assistance and support of Ukraine’s European integration efforts.

In turn, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal noted that Ukraine has one of the most extensive practical experiences in the field of unmanned technologies.

The Ukrainian-Estonian agreement under the Drone Deal format could not be signed on the first attempt.

On June 22, it was reported that the Ukrainian side had brought a draft document to Tallinn, but Estonia did not sign it.

Possible reasons cited included legal caution, budgetary priorities, and the development of Estonia’s own counter-drone technology sector.

In addition, the agreement contains provisions regarding long-term financial obligations that might have required ratification by the country’s parliament — the Riigikogu.

However, in early June, the parties signed a joint declaration on deepening cooperation in the fields of security and defense.

The document provides for enhanced cooperation in the security sector, the exchange of expertise, and collaboration in the defense industry and the field of air defense.

The declaration devotes special attention to joint commitments regarding the development of a multilayer missile defense system in Europe.

Drone Deal

The Drone Deal is a long-term international cooperation program initiated by Ukraine, aimed at comprehensive collaboration in the fields of security and defense. It combines Ukraine’s combat experience, the development of supply chains, and cooperation within the defense industry.

The Drone Deal may include a range of projects, the scope of which will depend on the specific needs of the partners.

These include the development of air defense, the scaling up of unmanned technologies, the implementation of training programs, and joint defense-industrial production.

The ten-year agreement format allows for the establishment of a flexible yet stable partnership. Such agreements lay the groundwork for sustainable funding of joint projects.

Cooperation proceeds in stages: from the partner’s initial request to the development of specific solutions, the preparation and signing of agreements, and the identification of priority projects and areas of cooperation.

Cooperation between countries

Overall, cooperation between Ukraine and Estonia in the field of security and defense, particularly regarding unmanned systems, has been ongoing for quite some time.

For example, in early June, it was reported that, thanks to joint training with the Ukrainian military, the Estonian Defense Forces had significantly improved their capabilities in the use of drones over the course of a year.

According to a Ukrainian soldier with the call sign Nick, who participated in the Estonian exercises for the second time, infantry units now respond much more quickly to threats posed by drones, and the overall organization of the troops has noticeably improved.

Cooperation in the field of unmanned technologies is also ongoing. In late May, it was reported that the Estonian high-speed P4P missile interceptor was tested in Ukraine.