SerpApi.Org
The future agreement is moving beyond negotiations and gradually entering the implementation phase
Ukraine and the United States are moving closer to finalizing the Drone Deal. The cooperation is entering a new phase that goes beyond agreements on paper and involves concrete implementation steps, according to the Office of the President.
During a meeting with US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the parties had already signed the first documents under the future Drone Deal.
According to Zelenskyy, this will make it possible to send Ukrainian drones to the United States for testing.
PURL program
The president also thanked Matthew Whitaker for his role in implementing the PURL program, which is intended to help Ukraine obtain additional capabilities to protect its skies.
For his part, Whitaker said that the PURL program was launched at the initiative of US President Donald Trump. According to him, its value has now nearly reached $8 billion.
"This is US equipment paid for with European funding. That's exactly how the program was designed. It should continue to grow and become even more successful in helping you," the US ambassador to NATO added.
NATO summit in Ankara
Zelenskyy and Whitaker also discussed the outcomes of the NATO summit in Ankara. According to the Ukrainian president, one of the key results was the decisions aimed at strengthening Ukraine's air defenses and ensuring their practical implementation. In particular, he referred to the agreement on licensing the production of missiles for Patriot air defense systems.
"I think it was a very successful summit, and during your visit we discussed many different issues. We are deeply grateful to the United States for your tremendous support," Zelenskyy said.
During the meeting, the president also awarded the Order of Merit, Third Class, to Lieutenant General Curtis Buzzard, commander of NATO's Security Assistance and Training Mission for Ukraine and the Security Assistance Group, thanking him for his support of Ukraine.
In addition, on July 15, Ukraine and the European Union launched a new format of defense partnership that is expected to serve as the foundation for a future Drone Deal.
The initiative paves the way for deeper cooperation in drone production.
At the same time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that once the Drone Deal is implemented, the EU could expand the model to other types of weapons, including missiles and air defense systems.
