---
title: "Drone Deal: How Ukraine is Changing the Rules of the Game in the Global Arms Market"
description: "Ukraine has signed the first long-term agreements under the Drone Deal initiative, transforming from a buyer into a global technology supplier. 🚀 Export bureaucracy has been simplified threefold, and Latvia and Ireland have already joined the program. 🇺🇦🤝"
date: 2026-07-02T22:02:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/drone-deal-how-ukraine-is-changing-the-rules-of-the-game-in-the-global-arms-market
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Drone Deal: How Ukraine is Changing the Rules of the Game in the Global Arms Market

![Ukraine defense official presenting $36.7 billion drone procurement budget at OIC production capabilities briefing](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/03/drone-deal-ukraina-mirovoy-rynok-vooruzheniy/drone-deal-ukraina-mirovoy-rynok-vooruzheniy-1.webp)

Ukraine is transitioning from the role of an arms buyer to that of a global partner and technology supplier. Rustem Umerov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), confirmed that Kyiv has already signed six long-term agreements under the new Drone Deal initiative. It is expected that more than 20 states will join this model in the near future.

### From Export to Joint Production

The new strategy differs radically from traditional arms trade. Agreements concluded under the Drone Deal are designed for ten years. As Umerov noted, this is not just about selling drones, but about comprehensive cooperation, including the transfer of combat experience and the deployment of joint production capacities abroad.

The initiative combines four key areas:

    - **Expert Security:** provision of consulting and analytics by Ukrainian military experts in partner countries.

    - **Export of Solutions:** supply of technologies and systems already tested in real combat conditions.

    - **Production Localization:** creation of factories on the territory of partners in the formats "Build with Ukraine" and "Build in Ukraine".

    - **Special Projects:** cooperation in the field of cybersecurity and protection of critical infrastructure.

"Defensive technologies must not only work to strengthen Ukraine's defense forces, but also become the basis of a new security architecture together with our international partners," emphasized the head of the NSDC.

### Bureaucracy Reform: Fast Track for Export

To implement ambitious plans, the Ukrainian government has removed the main administrative barriers. Previously, the preparation of export documents took months, which hindered the development of the industry. Now, a special Fast Track decree for the Drone Deal has come into force.

The application review period has been reduced threefold: if officials previously studied documents for 90 days, now this process takes only 30 days. This rule applies to goods not included in the list of critical products needed for the front.

### First Steps and International Partners

The initiative has already started to gain momentum. Latvia has officially become a participant in the agreement, joining the cooperation program in the field of development and production of unmanned systems. Active dialogue on the introduction of new technologies has also begun with Ireland, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently arrived on a visit.

In addition to state agreements, the initiative stimulates the private sector. Thus, it became known about the merger of efforts of the American manufacturer Powerus and the Ukrainian company Swarmer. The combined structure plans to supply the Pentagon with drones with advanced swarm control technology.