Ukraine and Finland expand cooperation in weapons production
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in a meeting with a delegation from Finland, including representatives of Finnish and Ukrainian defence companies. The parties discussed prospects for expanding defence-industrial cooperation, launching joint production projects, and developing a technological partnership.
In addition, seven documents were signed, including three in the defence industry. The new cooperation package is worth approximately €300 million in total, including €200 million under the Drone Deal initiative and €100 million under Build with Ukraine.
Representatives of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine also took part in the meeting, including Anna Gvozdiar, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, and Sergiy Boyev, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine for European Integration. The main focus was on developing direct partnerships between companies from both countries, scaling up production, and introducing new technological solutions to meet the needs of the Defence Forces of Ukraine.
Joint production to strengthen the defence of Ukraine and Europe
Ukraine and Finland are developing a defence-industrial partnership that combines Ukrainian technological developments and combat experience with the industrial capabilities of Finnish companies. Promising areas include the production of unmanned and robotic systems and other types of modern weapons.
Finland is a very important partner for us, and we are grateful for your support. We have agreements worth €300 million, and we are actively working on implementing the Drone Deal. Our drone production capacity is several times higher than last year’s. Let us use this potential to increase joint production and strengthen our shared security.
For his part, Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo emphasised continued military and economic support for Ukraine, as well as the development of cooperation between companies from both countries.
This year, we have provided Ukraine with five defence assistance packages worth more than half a billion euros in total, and we are preparing the next one. We are also handing over ten locomotives to Ukraine, allocating €5 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, and preparing deliveries of mobile heating units. At the same time, we are developing cooperation between Ukrainian and Finnish companies, which is already delivering concrete results.
The groundwork for further cooperation has already been laid. In August 2026, Ukrainian and Finnish defence companies signed three documents on the development and production of unmanned aerial systems, unmanned ground vehicles, and uncrewed boats. The current meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the further development of these and other promising areas of cooperation.
New opportunities for Ukrainian and Finnish defence manufacturers
Participants in the meeting focused on practical mechanisms for implementing joint projects, developing industrial cooperation, and expanding direct contacts between companies. They also discussed opportunities to accelerate the development and introduction of new technological solutions, taking into account the needs of the Ukrainian military.
We are constantly looking for new opportunities to develop joint production with international partners, including Finnish companies. To implement such projects, we can draw not only on partners’ resources but also on European Union funding. Ukraine is also ready to share its experience in testing new defence technologies in real-world conditions. This is an opportunity for our partners to improve their own developments and create new solutions together with us.
Cooperation in unmanned technologies is an important area of the bilateral partnership. In September 2026, Ukraine and Finland signed the Drone Deal, which provides for developing cooperation in the production of unmanned systems. Such agreements create additional opportunities to involve Finnish companies in implementing joint defence projects.
The Ministry of Defence continues to work to create conditions for international industrial cooperation, attract investment, and scale up production. Developing partnerships with Finnish companies will help strengthen Ukraine’s defence industry, meet the needs of the Defence Forces, and enhance Europe’s defence capabilities.
Ukraine and Finland previously agreed on mutual quality assurance for defence products. From now on, if Ukraine places an order with a Finnish plant, quality inspections are automatically recognised by both sides.
