Zelenskyy's office reveals where Ukraine-US drone deal stands
Photo: drones (Getty Images)
The Drone Deal agreement between Ukraine and the US has moved to the stage where the US side is selecting Ukrainian drones for further testing in the US as part of the agreement, according to Pavlo Palisa, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Rustem Umerov is in charge of the Drone Deal initiative. Currently, the process is at a stage where the US side needs to decide which Ukrainian drones are of greatest interest to it.
"We have a person in charge of this entire initiative—Rustem Umerov," notes the deputy head of the Presidential Office.
At the same time, Palisa emphasizes that the initiative has now effectively shifted to the US.
"Currently, as far as I know based on my involvement in the process, the ball is in the United States' court," he says.
The Ukrainian side has given the Americans the opportunity to select certain types of drones for further testing. This involves a competitive selection process in which various manufacturers can present their designs.
"They were allowed to select certain types of drones that interest them on a competitive basis. They are testing them," Palisa explains.
Thus, Ukrainian manufacturers have been allowed to send their prototypes to the US. After testing, the American side must decide which specific drones interest them.
"Various manufacturers have been allowed to send these prototypes to the United States. From there, it’s up to the Americans to make their choice," adds the deputy head of the Presidential Office.
In late July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Kyiv and Washington were close to concluding a Drone Deal. According to him, the agreement provides for cooperation in the production of drones, as well as the construction of a large Ukrainian factory on US soil.
To date, Ukraine has already signed nine agreements under the Drone Deals initiative, and about 15 more international agreements are currently in the works.
