Ukraine Seeks German Drone Deal

(MENAFN) Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced Friday that Kyiv is prepared to jointly manufacture strategic drones and unmanned systems with Germany, as Ukraine intensifies efforts to substitute battlefield manpower with drone technology and reduce the mounting human cost of its war with Russia.

Sybiha made the remarks at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, currently underway in Turkey, where he outlined Ukraine's accelerating pivot toward unmanned warfare as a cornerstone of its military strategy going forward.

"We are trying to replace our soldiers with drones -- all kinds of different drones, including ground drones. This would save our soldiers' lives," Sybiha said.

The Foreign Minister signaled that Ukraine's drone production capabilities remain substantially untapped, with the country having utilized only half of its existing manufacturing capacity to date — suggesting considerable room to scale output through international partnerships.

Western Aid Slowed by Middle East Conflict
Sybiha also sounded a note of concern over the ripple effects of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict on Ukraine's war effort, stating that the broader geopolitical crisis was hampering "assistance efforts" from Western allies — a pointed acknowledgment that Kyiv's pipeline of support faces growing competition for international attention and resources.

The comments come days after Ukraine announced it had begun receiving drones under the largest such package ever pledged by Britain, a delivery Kyiv described as a significant boost to its unmanned arsenal.

Zelensky-Putin Summit on the Table
In a separate and potentially significant development, Ukrainian media reported Friday — citing Sybiha — that Kyiv stands ready for a prospective high-level summit between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with both Türkiye and the United States serving as potential mediators. No date or venue for such a meeting has been confirmed.

Sybiha delivered his remarks on the sidelines of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, hosted by the Turkish Foreign Ministry and running from April 17 to 19 under the theme "Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties." The annual gathering convenes heads of state, senior diplomats, academics, business leaders, and civil society figures to confront the world's most pressing geopolitical and strategic challenges.

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