Ukraine strengthens defence with Finland and Norway drone deals

Ukrainian defense company TAF Industries and Finnish firm Summa Defence have signed a memorandum of understanding to expand drone production in Finland, according to Militarnyi correspondent on April 27, who attended the signing ceremony during the TAF Industries Demo Day.

The agreement, implemented under the Build with Ukraine initiative, provides for the creation of a joint venture aimed at developing industrial-scale manufacturing capacity in partner countries considered safe for production.

The partnership is focused on the joint production of TAF Industries' systems to meet the needs of Ukraine's Defense Forces. The companies plan to leverage Summa Defence's manufacturing infrastructure and technological ecosystem in Finland to support scaling efforts.

"Integration into the European defense ecosystem, as well as ensuring additional supply capabilities for the Defense Forces of Ukraine, are key priorities for TAF Industries. By combining our operational experience and combat-proven technologies with Summa's production scaling capabilities, we are creating a strong alliance to strengthen the military potential of Ukraine and Finland," said Volodymyr Zinovskyi, CEO of TAF Industries, according to Militarnyi.

A co-founder of Summa Defence noted that the partnership contributes to building a broader defense ecosystem for both Northern Europe and Ukraine, the outlet noted.

The agreement with Finland reflects a broader push by Ukraine to expand defense production through partnerships with European allies.

In a parallel initiative, Ukraine announced plans to manufacture several thousand medium-range, or 'mid-strike,' drones in Norway as part of its first joint UAV production program. The project will be funded by Oslo through additional resources beyond the $7 billion already allocated for Ukraine's defense in 2026, with all systems intended for use by Ukraine's Defense Forces.

The deal was formalized in Kyiv by Norway's Ambassador Lars Ragnar Aalerud Hansen and Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Defense for European Integration Serhii Boiev.

"The agreement opens opportunities to scale up the production of Ukrainian technologies that have already proven their effectiveness on the battlefield and to strengthen the defense capabilities of both countries," the Ministry of Defense said.

Officials also noted that Norway plans to direct more than $1.5 billion this year toward the procurement of Ukrainian-made weapons, further reinforcing the expansion of joint defense production across Europe.

The expanding cooperation also comes as other European countries move to adopt similar approaches based on Ukraine's battlefield experience.

Poland, for example, is preparing to develop a large-scale fleet of drones, drawing directly on lessons learned from Ukraine's use of unmanned systems in combat, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during a conference in Rzeszów dedicated to Ukraine's reconstruction.