On Monday, August 25, 2025, Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Denys Shmyhal held a meeting with the United States President’s Special Representative Kiton Kellogg. The center of the discussion was the prospects for signing an agreement between the United States and Ukraine on the production and sale of drones, as well as future cooperation in this area.
The head of the defense ministry reported the meeting’s results in his Telegram channel, adding that the discussions were conducted in a constructive manner with an emphasis on concrete steps for implementing the agreements.
Shmyhal emphasized the need to create reliable security guarantees that can prevent a new aggression against Ukraine. Work on these guarantees is carried out in close coordination with international partners and will continue in the near future.
During the meeting, the Ukrainian side was represented by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Andriy Hnatov, and the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov. They provided the American colleagues with a detailed analysis of the operational situation on the front and revealed the dynamics of events over the past months, which helped shape an understanding of Ukraine’s needs in drone defense.
Key points of the meeting and prospects of the deal
As part of the discussion, Shmyhal noted that the main emphasis was on preparing to sign an agreement between Ukraine and the United States on the production and sale of drones, known as the Drone deal. Such arrangements are intended to open new opportunities for joint production and supply of high-tech drones.
According to the minister, the American partners were provided with the relevant documents for detailed review and further approval. This is a step toward systematically expanding Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
The main objective of the talks is to ramp up the production of ammunition and drones, which will allow more effective deterrence of aggression and strengthen the country’s defense. Joint projects in this area are aimed at accelerating the provision to Ukrainian forces of modern, reliable, and accessible systems.
Prospects for further cooperation within the Drone Deal will be discussed at future meetings, and specific timeframes and production volumes for the needs of the Ukrainian army will be agreed.
