Belgium and Turkey join coalition of drones for Ukraine

The International Drone Coalition, led by Latvia and the United Kingdom, has joined new members. In addition, it plans to spend at least €2.75 billion to support Ukraine by the end of 2025.

Here's What We Know

Belgium and Turkey have joined the international coalition to support Ukraine with unmanned aerial vehicles. This was announced by the Ministry of Defence of Latvia after a drone summit.

As of the end of May, the member states have already contributed about 180 million euros to the general fund. It is planned to allocate at least 2.75 billion more by the end of 2025. The funds will be used to purchase reconnaissance and attack drones, as well as to implement projects of each participating country to support the Ukrainian Defence Forces.

Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds said that the accession of new allies would not only increase the supply of drones but also strengthen the EU and NATO defence industry.

The coalition has already held two international tenders. According to the results of the first one, five companies are to supply Ukraine with 30,000 FPV drones within six months. Another €20 million was allocated for tactical reconnaissance UAVs.

The funds raised are also used to search for and implement technological solutions that provide an advantage on the battlefield. All of this is part of a joint fund created by the member states in the first year of the coalition's operation.

Source: Ministry of Defence of Latvia