Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara has made a direct appeal to defense officials of the Group of Five (E5) nations, outlining two critical priorities for strengthening defense protection and planning for 2027. The statement was published on the official Telegram channel of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and shared with media outlets, including RBC-Ukraine. Khmara emphasized that Ukraine already has contracts for future interceptor missile supplies, but the current situation requires immediate decisions rather than waiting for long-term commitments to be fulfilled.
First Priority: Exchange of Air Defense and MANPADS Missiles
The central element of the appeal was a concrete initiative: Ukraine is proposing an exchange to its partners — to transfer a portion of missiles from existing reserves now in exchange for supplies that are scheduled to arrive in Kyiv later under existing contracts. Khmara urged partners to consider transferring 10% of interceptor reserves, including missiles for the Patriot and IRIS-T surface-to-air missile systems, which Ukraine is contracting using a European Union loan. In addition to heavy air defense, the minister called portable air defense systems (MANPADS) critically necessary to counter jet-powered drones. According to him, Ukraine is counting both on financing for new purchases and the transfer of systems from partners' existing arsenals.
Second Priority: Scaling Up Drone Production
Khmara named unmanned systems as the second key area. The minister stated that Ukraine is capable of doubling drone production by 2027, provided there is timely funding. At the same time, he suggested going beyond increased procurement to scale up joint production of Ukrainian unmanned systems on the territory of other countries. According to Kyiv's vision, such a model should ensure a stable flow of equipment without dependence on supply chains while simultaneously strengthening partners' defense capabilities.
Starlink Restoration and Strikes on Launchers
Within the same statement, Khmara announced the restoration of the military Starlink segment's speed to over 400 km/h, as recorded by Ministry of Defense monitoring systems. Furthermore, the minister confirmed that Ukrainian forces are striking Russian launchers and that hits on such targets have been recorded. These data, he said, demonstrate the effectiveness of ongoing operations and the need to further strengthen both defensive and offensive components.
Context: What Lies Behind the Appeal to E5
The appeal to the E5 countries — the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain — reflects Kyiv's attempt to synchronize defense planning with key European capitals on the 2027 horizon. The proposal to exchange 10% of interceptor reserves essentially turns long-term contracts into a rapid-response tool: partners receive a guarantee of future supplies, while Ukraine gets an immediate boost to its air defense. Meanwhile, the initiative for joint drone production on allies' territory aims to create a distributed manufacturing base resilient to military risks and capable of rapid scaling.
