During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Bucharest on Thursday, he and his Romanian counterpart Nikusor Dan signed a series of agreements, including a declaration of strategic partnership, an agreement on energy cooperation, and a declaration of intent to jointly produce drones.
signing of the agreements.
The declaration of intent signed by the two presidents states that they agreed to "introduce the production of Ukrainian defense systems and capabilities in Romania in order to strengthen the defense industries of Ukraine and Romania".
After four years of experience in repelling Russian attacks, Ukraine says it has developed drones and anti-drone systems that can help protect NATO countries, Reuters notes. Zelensky specified that Ukraine's expertise lies mainly in integrating the software for unmanned aerial vehicles into the country's broader defense system.
The Romanian publication G4Media points out that Nikusor Dan and Volodymyr Zelensky have signed an agreement that envisages the construction of facilities for the production of defense systems and capabilities in Romania with Ukrainian technology, and the first goal is the production of drones within the framework of a project worth 200 million euros, financed mainly through the SAFE mechanism ("Security Measures for Europe") of the European Union.
According to the document, Ukraine will allow, in accordance with export control laws and regulations, the sharing of relevant technologies, intellectual property and necessary data for the creation in Romania of production facilities for defense systems and capabilities "for the benefit of the security of Ukraine, Romania, the Black Sea region and the European continent".
"The deployment in Romania of drone production in the shortest possible time will be considered by the parties as a project of the first phase of this cooperation, financed in particular through the EU SAFE initiative with up to 200 million euros," the document cited by G4Media states.
It also stipulates that Romania will assist in the establishment of Ukrainian companies in the field of defense and security in the country, including through joint ventures and partnerships, and that the country will support joint industrial projects in the field of defense in the long term.
The joint declaration also notes that it does not constitute a legally binding document for the two parties under international and national law and that any legal, financial or other commitment will be the subject of separate agreements.
The war has turned Ukraine into one of the largest producers of military drones in the world, and this industry has become so powerful that Kiev has begun to export production, concluding contracts with the UK, Germany, Denmark and Latvia, Romanian state television notes in its material TeVere.
The television reminds that at the beginning of the year, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine announced that the production capacity of small FPV drones alone has exceeded 8 million units per year. Over 160 companies produce such systems, which through their cameras are responsible for about 60 percent of the losses of the Russian army, and the country also produces reconnaissance drones, remote strike drones, sea drones and interceptor drones used to shoot down the "Shahed" drones sent by Russia, TeVere points out.
This was Volodymyr Zelensky's second official visit to Romania after his first visit on October 10, 2023, when he met with then-President Klaus Iohannis and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. During his second visit, Zelensky also met with current Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and, together with Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruca, visited the air base in Fetești, southeastern Romania, where Romanian and Ukrainian pilots are training on F-16 aircraft.
"We thank Romania, the instructors at the center and everyone who helps us defend ourselves and counter Russian terror! We will always be grateful to the United States for the opportunity to strengthen the defense of our airspace with American fighter jets, as well as to Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway, which are already sending such aircraft to Ukraine," Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.
The European F-16 Training Center in Feteşti was opened in November 2023 to train pilots from Romania, Ukraine and other countries. It was created as a result of cooperation between the Romanian Ministry of National Defense and the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
According to the agreement, the Netherlands is committed to providing the F-16 aircraft, the instructors and technical support are provided by the American company "Lockheed Martin", which is the manufacturer of the F-16 aircraft, and Romania provides the air base, training facilities and support as a host country.