Zelenskyy says US-Ukraine have begun joint production of interceptor drones

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv has begun joint production of interceptor drones with the US, calling the new effort essential as the country faces mounting financial strain and battlefield pressure.

“American-Ukraine production, co-production,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television late Wednesday. “I hope that in future we will have more.”

He said the initiative is meant to strengthen Ukraine’s air-defense capabilities and compensate for delays in external assistance.

Zelenskyy also appealed to EU members to overcome internal divisions over using frozen Russian assets. “I hope, God bless, we will get this decision,” he said, adding that without access to the assets, “we will have to find an alternative, it’s a question of our surviving.”

The EU has postponed until December a decision on whether to tap frozen Russian assets to provide loans worth €140 billion.

Zelenskyy argued that proceeds from frozen Russian assets would help Kyiv more Western air-defense systems and expand domestic drone production. “We don’t have additional money and this is the way — and this is fair,” he said.

He said President Donald Trump controls “more than five billion of assets” belonging to Russia in the US and could send “a good signal” to European partners by acting first.

Russia has warned harsh retaliatory measures if the EU proceeds with plans to transfer its frozen assets to Ukraine.