Ukraine Aims to Expand "Drone Coalition"

Ukraine is seeking to expand its military "drone coalition" with allies to include at least 20 new countries to assist in the supply of drones, technological cooperation, and support for its army as the war with Russia enters its third year. Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Kateryna Cherepakha stated that eight countries have joined the coalition so far, which was initially launched by Ukraine, Latvia, and the UK. Cherepakha noted in a press briefing that "eight countries are just the beginning. We want other countries to join. Our goal is to have at least 20 countries in the initiative." She reiterated that Ukraine aims to acquire one million FPV drones this year. Kyiv is working to secure more purchases and additional components while achieving closer cooperation in technological solutions to keep up with changing war tactics. Drones have become a critical part of surveillance and targeting tactics for both sides of the conflict due to their relatively low costs.