Ukraine and Germany sign deal to produce BARS drones
Photo: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine and Germany are launching joint production of BARS unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The project will be implemented as part of a bilateral defense initiative, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Twitter (X).
"The agreement was concluded following joint efforts by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the German Federal Ministry of Defence under the Build with Ukraine initiative," Sybiha said.
Germany will fully finance the first phase of production. All equipment manufactured under the project will be delivered directly to the front lines for use by the Ukrainian military.
Together with German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius, we signed an implementation agreement for the joint production of BARS drones.
— Andrii Sybiha (@andrii_sybiha) July 8, 2026
The agreement was concluded following joint efforts by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the German Federal Ministry of Defence… pic.twitter.com/eraZXnxbXU
"The German side will finance the production of the UAVs during the first phase of the project, and all manufactured equipment will be delivered to Ukraine’s Defence Forces," the minister emphasized.
When will Ukraine produce missiles for Patriot?
Ukraine is taking a major step toward building its own missile defense capabilities by expanding cooperation with the US on the production of advanced air defense systems. The key question now is the actual timeline for launching production lines capable of manufacturing sophisticated anti-ballistic missiles.
As previously reported, US President Donald Trump announced that Ukraine would be allowed to manufacture Patriot air defense systems on its own territory. The American leader expressed confidence that Ukraine would quickly master the complex production process.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed that Kyiv is already engaged in active talks with international partners to obtain licenses for the production of Patriot anti-ballistic systems. According to him, the issue is among the top priorities on the agenda of diplomatic meetings.
The authorization from Washington, publicly announced by Trump, is expected to significantly accelerate the integration of Ukraine's defense industry into the technological supply chains of Western arms manufacturers.
