Ukraine has signed a landmark agreement with US company Swift Beat, founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, to jointly produce drones, including interceptors, in a bid to boost its defense capabilities amid mounting Russian air attacks. The deal could see hundreds of thousands of drones produced this year and scaled up significantly next year.
The announcement comes as Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to discuss the US suspension of key weapons deliveries with President Donald Trump on July 4. Sources say the suspension affects various arms, including Patriot interceptor missiles and Stinger MANPADS.
European allies have reacted with alarm, calling for a “measured but firm” approach to sustaining aid. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that Ukraine cannot do without partner support in the short term, while Polish defense chief Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz described Washington’s decision as “regrettable.”
In contrast, the Kremlin welcomed the reports, saying it sees fewer US weapons sent to Ukraine as a way for Moscow to end the special military operation sooner. Zelenskyy will continue his visit to Denmark with talks on joint defense production and other measures to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to withstand Russian attacks.
A US pilot who was killed in action near the Russian border last month was buried in Kyiv on July 3, marking Ukraine’s third F-16 pilot lost while fighting off Russian attacks.
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskyy-drones-us-ukraine-production-arms-deliveries-trump-weapons/33463099.html