Zelensky and Meloni pledge to strengthen cooperation in drone production

During a visit to the Italian capital, Rome, yesterday, Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the defense field, with a special focus on the production and development of drones, as part of ongoing Ukrainian efforts to mobilize additional European support in the face of the war with Russia. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that European countries are moving towards escalation with their decision to increase the production of drones for Ukraine. At the conclusion of their talks, Zelensky and Meloni announced a move to expand military cooperation between the two countries, especially in the field of drones, while the Ukrainian president explained that technical teams from both sides would discuss implementation mechanisms.
Meloni said that the talks focused on strengthening defense cooperation, noting Italy’s interest in the possibility of launching joint production in the field of drones. Zelensky confirmed that his country is working on what he described as the “formula of drone agreements,” which aims to integrate Ukrainian expertise in the fields of drones, missiles, electronic warfare, and data exchange with the capabilities of European partners, allowing for broader coordination in defense capabilities.
He added that strengthening air defense is a top priority for Kiev, in light of the continued daily Russian attacks on cities and infrastructure.
The visit to Rome comes as part of a European tour that included Germany and Norway, where Zelensky agreed with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on a strategic partnership in the defense field. In a related context, the Ukrainian president indicated that the decline in arms shipments from the United States, in light of Trump’s policies, constitutes a “big problem” for Kiev, which prompts it to strengthen its partnerships with European countries, including joining joint arms programs funded by European Union countries. Ukraine is pressuring its allies to join the “Ukraine’s Priority Needs List” program, which allows it to be supplied with weapons with direct international funding, while some countries, including Italy, are still outside this framework. On the other hand, the Russian Ministry of Defense warned of what it described as a dangerous escalation in the policies of some European countries by increasing the production and supply of drones to Ukraine, considering that this contributes to expanding the scope of the war. She indicated that drone production projects in Europe, including joint projects with Ukraine, may bring those countries closer to direct involvement in the conflict, warning of “unexpected consequences” on regional security.
In light of a race between strengthening Ukrainian defense capabilities and Russia’s attempts to expand its military gains on the eastern front, military operations continue along the front between Russia and Ukraine, amid an intense exchange of attacks and the continuation of fighting in several main axes. Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Sirsky, said that Ukrainian forces regained about 50 square kilometers of territory during the month of March, as part of what he described as gradual progress since the beginning of this year. Sirsky added that the Russian forces intensified their attacks with the improvement of weather conditions, and carried out offensive operations along a front line extending for about 1,200 kilometers, noting that the vicinity of the city of Pokrovsk in the east was among the most flammable areas, in light of Russian attempts to control it since mid-2024. (Agencies)