European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in Kyiv on 15 July 2026, announced a new EU-Ukraine defence partnership centred on a "Drone Deal" involving joint ventures, technology transfers, and dual-use investment, alongside a €1 billion disbursement for drones and the opening of a second accession cluster on External Relations. Receiving the Order of Europe, von der Leyen stressed that the EU stands with Ukraine "any way we can, for as long as needed" as Russia intensifies air attacks.
The Drone Deal aims to combine Ukrainian battlefield-tested ingenuity with EU industrial scale to develop and manufacture next-generation drones and counter-drone systems. Von der Leyen said the model could later extend to missiles and air defence systems, with deeper defence-industry integration through barrier removal and standard alignment. The EU's €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan is now fully operational, with over a third invested in defence products this year. The first military assistance package, disbursed on 30 June, was exclusively for drones, described as the largest such package globally. A new €10 billion disbursement plan has been approved for more drones, missiles, and fighter aircraft.
On accession, von der Leyen noted that after the historic opening of the first cluster on Fundamentals in June, Cluster 6 on External Relations has now been opened, calling it a "special" milestone as Ukraine's actions already shape the continent's geopolitics. She pledged continued Commission support for further reform and cluster openings.
Preparing for the coming winter, von der Leyen recalled that since Russia's full-scale invasion the EU has invested over €4 billion in winterisation and energy, including €920 million this year alone. She vowed to keep lights and heat on in Ukrainian homes during winter 2026, following a "well-oiled plan" to repair and strengthen energy infrastructure.