"Ukraine's Drone Technology Is Unique"…EU Agrees on Joint Production

Expansion of Defense Industry Cooperation at the EU Level

Russia Strongly Opposes Deployment of Foreign Troops

Difficulties Persist over Agreement on Russia Sanctions Package

European countries have, for the first time at the European Union (EU) level, signed a joint agreement with Ukraine to co-produce drones. Although tensions remain high between Russia and the West over the deployment of foreign troops within Ukraine, this move signals that Europe is determined to maintain its commitment to military and security support for Ukraine.

AP Yonhap News

According to international media outlets such as Euronews, on July 15 local time, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and signed the drone joint production agreement with Ukraine. This marks the first time that previously bilateral defense industry cooperation between Ukraine and individual EU member states has been expanded to the EU level as a whole.

President von der Leyen emphasized that "Ukraine's drone technology is unique," underscoring the need to combine the industrial capabilities of both sides. Of the EU’s 90 billion euro loan pool, 10 billion euros will be allocated for the procurement of drones, missiles, and fighter jets. She assessed that "Ukraine is building strong military momentum, which is shifting the tide of the war."

Military tensions between Russia and Western countries have been rising recently. The United Kingdom, France, and Germany have jointly announced plans to expand military cooperation centered on the "Alliance of Will," aimed at providing long-term security assurances for Ukraine. A multinational joint military exercise is scheduled to take place this fall in Poland, with 1,500 troops from the United Kingdom and France expected to participate, and Germany is also considering joining the exercise.

Russia has defined the deployment of multinational forces within Ukraine as a direct security threat and has warned of a military response. Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated that "the deployment of Alliance of Will troops in Ukraine constitutes foreign military intervention and a threat to Russia's security," adding, "We will regard these units as legitimate military targets." Russia had previously declared last year that it would not tolerate the deployment of NATO member state troops within Ukraine.

The European Union (EU) Parliament in Belgium. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

However, when it comes to economic sanctions against Russia, differing opinions are evident within the EU. According to Politico Europe, the 27 EU member states once again failed to reach an agreement on the so-called "21st sanctions package" against Russia on this day. If an agreement on the sanctions package is not reached by the deadline, an automatic adjustment to the price cap on Russian crude oil will take effect, potentially increasing exports of Russian oil. Crude oil exports are a major source of revenue for Russia. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told reporters on July 13 that "we are very close to an agreement," but noted that "if the agreement fails, we will review Plan B."

The latest sanctions package includes additional sanctions on 250 individuals related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as restrictions on banks and ships involved in oil smuggling. However, Austria has demanded compensation for the confiscation of the domestic Raiffeisen Bank’s assets in Russia, and Greece has opposed regulations on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), resulting in delayed agreement. During negotiations, proposals to ban imports of Russian cod and pollock and to restrict visas for former Russian military personnel were eased or withdrawn due to opposition from member states. As the sanctions package has not been finalized, the EU will maintain the price cap on Russian crude oil at $44.10 per barrel for another week. The next meeting will be held on the 22nd.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.