Minister: France to establish drone production facilities in Ukraine

French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced on 6 June that French automotive and defence companies will set up drone manufacturing facilities in Ukraine, calling the initiative a “win-win” partnership with Kyiv.

This marks France’s first direct manufacturing initiative on Ukrainian territory since the onset of the war. While France had previously supported Ukrainian arms production through joint projects and investments, this move signifies a deeper level of industrial cooperation.

“We are launching a completely unprecedented partnership where a major French car manufacturer – I won’t reveal the name, as it’s up to them to do so – will join forces with a French defence SME to equip production lines in Ukraine for drone manufacturing,” Lecornu said during an interview with French television, Caliber.Az reports via Ukrainian media.

He did not specify which types of drones would be produced but confirmed that they are intended to support Ukrainian forces while also serving the French military. “It will allow our units to have continuous tactical and operational training aligned with the realities on the ground in Ukraine,” he added. In exchange, Ukrainian forces will share operational feedback on drone deployment in combat.

Lecornu clarified that no French workers will be stationed at the Ukrainian production facilities. Instead, he praised Ukraine’s capabilities, stating that Ukrainians "are better than us in the ability to imagine and develop drones, especially when it comes to crafting the doctrine around their use."

Ukraine plans to deploy more than 4.5 million drones in 2025, with drones currently responsible for 70% of Russian equipment losses at the front. France, which fields several thousand drones, hopes this cooperation will help reduce its current capability gap in unmanned systems.

The announcement follows a June 5 meeting in Brussels between French and Ukrainian defence ministers, focused on joint arms production to meet Ukraine’s military needs. The talks were part of the 28th Ramstein meeting at NATO headquarters, where Ukraine and its partners agreed to create a collaborative defence production framework.

France joins several other European countries investing in Ukraine’s drone industry. Finland has partnered with Ukrainian firms to establish a drone manufacturing facility, with large-scale production expected to begin in early 2025.

The Netherlands has pledged €700 million ($798 million) to support Ukraine’s defence sector, particularly in advancing drone technology.

The United Kingdom is also contributing hundreds of millions of dollars toward expanding drone production for Ukraine, while Norway has redirected funds to specifically back Ukrainian-made drone projects.

By Tamilla Hasanova