Ukraine and U.S. move toward landmark drone defense deal

Kyiv — The governments of the U.S. and Ukraine have drafted a memorandum outlining the terms of a potential new defense deal between the countries, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The draft hashed out by the U.S. State Department and Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Olha Stefanishyna is a first step toward a defense agreement that would allow Ukraine to export military technology to the U.S. and to manufacture drones in joint ventures with American companies. During the war in Iran, Ukraine has capitalized on innovations forged by the country's military and defense contractors over more than four years of grueling conflict with Russia. Kyiv has sent drone interceptors and pilots to the Middle East to help U.S. allies defend against the same types of Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia has used to attack Ukraine's towns and cities . Already, over the last two months, Ukraine has signed defense agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, and Ukrainian officials say more deals are in the works. A Ukrainian soldier holds a Sting interceptor drone before a test flight on Feb. 22, 2026, in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine. Alex Nikitenko/Global Images Ukraine/Getty "Nearly 20 countries are currently involved at various stages: 4 agreements have already been signed, and the first contracts under these agreements are now being prepared," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram. …