Zelenskyy: US testing Ukrainian drones, $35-50B deal advances

Published Jul 10, 12:54 AM UTC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on July 10, 2026, that the United States is already testing Ukrainian-made aerial and maritime drones and has provided 'very positive feedback.' This marks the first real movement in months on a multibillion-dollar drone production deal between Kyiv and Washington, valued at $35-50 billion. The confirmation came a day after US President Donald Trump pledged at the NATO summit in Ankara to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot interceptors, a long-sought goal amid a global shortage exacerbated by US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Zelenskyy presented the two initiatives as separate tracks but both advancing Ukraine's defense capabilities. The drone deal, which would involve up to 200 Ukrainian companies in a 50-50 production venture, remains unsigned pending Trump's approval. Ukraine has built 100,000 drones in 2025 and doubled production pace in early 2026. The announcement follows devastating Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv that killed at least 22 people.