“We did not sign the document with the president [США Дональдом] Trump. I don't have an answer as to why. Perhaps this will happen later, but I’m not sure,” Zelensky said.
We are talking about the production of drones worth about $35-50 billion – “this is a big agreement on drones for many years,” the president noted. Also, according to him, the option of joint production in the USA on 50/50 terms was discussed.
He emphasized that the Americans have always shown interest in Ukrainian drones.
“I have never heard that the United States is not interested. I have heard the opposite: that the United States is very interested,” he said.
Zelensky said that when the United States decided to sell weapons rather than transfer them as aid, Ukraine did not have enough money.
“And I had an idea: we will conclude an agreement on drones. The United States will receive our technologies. Our enterprises will increase production. Half of the products will go to our front line, this should be enough. And half of the capacity, which now cannot produce more due to the financial deficit, will go to our partners,” Zelensky said.
Context
Since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been increasing the production of its own weapons, in particular UAVs. As of March 4, 2025, then-Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmygal stated that Ukraine produces about a third of the weapons needed on the battlefield and the most military drones in the world.
In an interview with Rai Italia published on March 5, 2026, President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky informed that Ukraine is receiving requests from partners from the Middle East, as well as from Europe and the United States, to provide expertise in the fight against Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones used against civilian targets after the escalation.
As of March 9, Ukraine had 11 requests from countries neighboring Iran, European states and the United States for support from Ukraine in countering Shahed and other similar challenges, Zelensky reported.
