The Netherlands has announced a 248-million-euro ($293 million) investment to jointly produce drones with Ukraine, with manufacturing planned across both nations. Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius confirmed the initiative in Berlin following a Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting. While specific details remain limited, the move builds on an earlier Dutch commitment of 110 million euros toward co-developing deep-strike drones with Ukraine.
The investment is part of the “Build with Ukraine” initiative, which allows Ukrainian defense firms to establish production facilities in NATO countries, helping shield operations from Russian attacks while strengthening integration with Western defense ecosystems. However, reports indicate that bureaucratic hurdles in Europe—including in the Netherlands—are slowing expansion efforts for Ukrainian companies.
One such firm, Fire Point, manufactures strike drones and missiles, including its F-5 Flamingo cruise missile. According to Hans Huigen of the Netherlands Defence and Security Industry Foundation, delays are largely due to the more complex licensing requirements associated with producing offensive weapons and ammunition compared to defensive systems.
