Lithuania is preparing to localize the manufacturing of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on its domestic soil, leveraging a bilateral defense industry cooperation agreement finalized in May. Speaking to the Lithuanian business daily Verslo žinios, Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas confirmed that the ministry is currently restructuring key internal teams to appoint personnel capable of translating the strategic framework into operational manufacturing lines on the ground.
Under the initiative, the uncrewed platforms will be built within Lithuania utilizing transferred Ukrainian technology and joint capital investments. Kaunas highlighted that the arrangement creates a mutually beneficial ecosystem: Ukraine scales its production capacity away from immediate battlefield hazards, while Lithuania expands its domestic defense industrial base through advanced tech acquisition and joint efforts between Lithuanian engineers and battle-tested Ukrainian specialists.
The localization effort aligns with broader steps by Vilnius to integrate Ukrainian defense innovators into its industrial ecosystem. Elijus Čivilis, chief executive of the investment promotion agency Invest Lithuania, noted that several Ukrainian defense sector investors have already cleared national security reviews to establish operations in the country. Demonstrating this momentum, defense authorities also invited Luxembourg-based Luxuav—a drone manufacturer founded by Ukrainian entrepreneurs—to conduct flight testing in Lithuania.
