Ukraine tells NATO lawmakers it can build 20 million drones a year if allies fund it
Ukraine says it can build up to 20 million drones a year plus thousands of missiles, but only with more allied money. At the NATO assembly's spring session, Deputy Defence Minister Mstyslav Banik pressed partners to fund Ukrainian production directly. Kyiv made 2.5 to 4 million d
Ukraine has told NATO lawmakers that its defence industry can produce up to 20 million drones a year, along with thousands of missiles for deep strikes and air defence, if allies provide the funding. The figure came from Deputy Defence Minister Mstyslav Banik, who addressed the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. According to reporting from RBC-Ukraine, Liga.net and the Odessa Journal, Banik pressed partners to invest directly in Ukrainian production rather than only supplying finished weapons, and urged allies to push total assistance toward 60 billion dollars this year. The stated capacity is well above current output. Ukraine manufactured between 2.5 and 4 million drones in 2025 and is aiming for around 7 million in 2026, so 20 million represents a target that depends on sustained outside investment. The pitch reflects a wider argument Kyiv has made to European capitals: that its wartime manufacturing base, battlefield testing and rapid iteration are assets NATO can draw on, not just a drain on allied stockpiles. The numbers cited describe potential capacity rather than confirmed orders, and turning that potential into hardware depends on financing decisions still being negotiated.