5 European nations pledge millions to use Ukrainian know-how to make
cheap drone defenses
[February 21, 2026]
By SAM McNEIL and CLAUDIA CIOBANU
WARSAW (AP) — Five European nations have announced a new program to
produce low-cost air defense systems and autonomous drones using
Ukrainian expertise hard-won over the past four years of war against
Russia.
Friday's initiative of the E5 nations — France, Poland, Germany, the
United Kingdom and Italy — comes as one of many European efforts to
bolster defense along their borders, like a “ drone wall ” with Russia
and Ukraine to better detect, track and intercept drones violating
Europe’s airspace.
Both Moscow and Kyiv have cutting-edge drone warfare capabilities forged
in the grim laboratory of war where battlefield innovations have
rewritten modern battle tactics. Poland is already working with Ukraine
on drone technology in joint military training programs and
manufacturing projects.
Those efforts were sparked by a spate of incidents in which Europe’s
borders and airports have been tested by rogue drones. Russia has been
blamed for some of them but denies that anything was done on purpose or
that it played a role.
“The UK and our E5 partners are stepping up — investing together in the
next generation of air defense and autonomous systems to strengthen
NATO’s shield," said Luke Pollard, Britain's minister for defense
readiness and industry.
“We have some of the best kit on the entire planet for shooting down air
threats. The problem is to be effective at shooting down relatively
low-cost missiles, drones, and other threats facing us," he said. "We
need to make sure that we’re matching the cost of the threats with the
cost of defense."
Poland's defense minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, said the group of
countries signed an agreement to jointly invest in the production and
procurement of drone-based strike capabilities as well as cheap drone
defense systems in a program called called Low-Cost Effectors and
Autonomous Platforms, or LEAP.
“Combat technologies and techniques are changing rapidly — we must
respond quickly and appropriately,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said. "We also
signed a crucial commitment regarding the joint development of
drone-based strike capabilities, low-cost joint production, and joint
procurement of drone effectors, i.e, combat payloads, using artificial
intelligence."
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When Russian drones entered Polish airspace in September 2025,
Warsaw and its NATO allies used multimillion-dollar jets to respond
to drones that cost thousands and that ended up crashing into the
Polish countryside. Low-cost kinetic or electronic effectors would
allow the detection and destruction of drones at a fraction of the
price.
Europe has scrambled to arm itself in the wake of U.S. President
Donald Trump's deep criticism of NATO, European defense spending and
once iron-clad alliances. The EU has ramped up spending and is
openly questioning even deeper military projects.
“Europe's security is more uncertain than it has been in decades,”
said Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, citing Russian
aggression, instability in the Middle East, China and a “redefined”
alliance with the U.S. She said that the low-cost interceptor
program exemplifies the European commitment to its own security.
“If we want to keep our country safe, we must strengthen our hard
power. The good news is that we are already investing record sums in
defense. Europe is stepping up. but it’s not about competing with
NATO. It’s about making Europe stronger within NATO. A stronger
Europe makes the alliance also stronger.”
Yet the 32-nation military alliance has been shaken by Trump's
second administration. Most recently, his repeated threats to seize
Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and
disparaging remarks about his NATO allies’ troops in Afghanistan
drew another outcry.
While tensions over Greenland have subsided for now, the infighting
has seriously undercut the ability of the world’s biggest security
alliance to deter adversaries.
——
McNeil reported from Brussels.
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