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This is reported by the Canadian news agency CBS News.
According to CBS News sources, Ukraine and the USA have prepared a memorandum outlining the terms of a potential defense agreement between the countries.
According to the sources, the document was agreed upon by the US Department of State and the Ukrainian ambassador to the USA, Olha Stefanyshyna.
It is specified that the memorandum is called the first step towards the Drone Deal – a large-scale cooperation in the sphere of drones and military technologies.
The source said that it is about the possibility of exporting Ukrainian defense developments to the USA, as well as setting up joint ventures with US companies to produce drones.
US interested in Ukrainian technologies
According to CBS News, the Ukrainian side proposed the idea of cooperation in the field of drones to Washington back in the summer of 2025 after the operation “Spider’s Web”.
At that time, Ukrainian drones attacked Russian military facilities far behind the front line.
At the same time, the source specifies that Ukrainian manufacturers are also actively entering the American market. In particular, the General Cherry company signed an agreement on the production of drones in the USA jointly with the US-based Wilcox Industries.
In addition, the Pentagon invited Ukrainian companies to participate in the $1.1bn Dominance of Drones program aimed at developing drone technologies for the US army.
However, a broader defense agreement that could potentially provide the United States with more Ukrainian technology has run into political obstacles.
From “lack of support” to “positive news for Ukraine”
Ukrainian officials told CBS News that they perceived a “lack of support” for the drone deal from senior figures in the Defense Department and White House, especially after the Iran war began. President Trump has publicly rejected Ukraine’s attempts to supply counter-drone technology to the Middle East.
“We don’t need their help with drone defense,” Trump told Fox News in early March. “We know more about drones than anybody else. In fact, we have the best drones in the world.”
CBS News reached out to the White House, the U.S. State Department and the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington on Tuesday seeking comment on the potential deal, but did not receive immediate responses.
Ukraine’s military needs have also created their own challenges to the deal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the government would ease sweeping restrictions on military exports only after Kiev is satisfied that Ukrainian companies’ intellectual property is protected and that they will still be able to supply enough goods for Ukraine’s defense in the face of an ongoing Russian invasion.
