Germany and Ukraine will expand defence cooperation with joint work on drones, air defence and battlefield systems. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius described the relationship as a long-term strategic partnership.
Sweden is conducting the Aurora 26 military exercise with NATO allies and Ukraine, focusing on the defence of Gotland and the Baltic Sea region. The drills involve 18,000 personnel and test allied reinforcement, logistics and drone warfare cooperation.
The European Commission has opened applications for founding members of a new EU-Ukraine Drone Alliance aimed at improving European drone and counter-drone capabilities. The initiative will bring together industry, innovators and military users from Europe and Ukraine.
Germany’s chancellor said Ukraine’s path to EU membership is key to ending the war with Russia and suggested ‘part of Ukrainian territory will no longer be Ukrainian.’
Norway and Ukraine have signed an agreement to begin joint production of Ukrainian drones in Norway under the “Build with Ukraine” initiative. The deal includes industrial cooperation, research, and supply chain development, with deliveries expected before summer.
Norway and Ukraine have agreed to expand defence cooperation with a focus on drone production, including enabling Ukrainian drones to be built in Norway. The deal also covers joint development, technology sharing, and scaling up air defence and military production.
Sweden will conduct Aurora 26, its largest military exercise of the year, from 27 April to 13 May. The drills will involve over 16,000 personnel and allied forces, focusing on reinforcement operations, coordination, and defence planning under NATO frameworks.
Germany and Ukraine have signed new defence deals covering missiles, drones and air defence. Berlin also backed Kyiv’s EU bid and called for the release of EU funds to strengthen Ukraine’s long-term security.
Ukrspecsystems has opened a £200 million drone production facility in Suffolk, creating up to 500 jobs and expanding UK-based manufacturing to support Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The site will produce surveillance and related drone systems as part of ongoing UK military assistance.
The UK government has launched Project Nightfall to develop a new ground-launched ballistic missile for Ukraine with a range of more than 500 kilometres. The programme aims to deliver test missiles within 12 months and support long-range strike capability and comes as Russia carried out a strike on Ukraine last week using the Oreshnik system.
Finland’s withdrawal from the Ottawa Anti-Personnel Landmines Convention has formally taken effect, six months after notification was submitted to the United Nations. The decision allows Finland to plan for the reintroduction of landmines while maintaining its international legal obligations. Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, which also share borders with Russia, have already completed their withdrawal from the treaty.
Germany approved €8.4 billion in arms export licences in 2025, marking a clear drop after two record years. Government data show a sharp fall in approvals for Ukraine, while Norway became the largest recipient and licences for Turkey rose to their highest level since 1999.
Foreign policy advisers from the United States, Ukraine, Germany and other partners are set to resume talks on a possible peace framework for Ukraine in Berlin, according to government sources. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to take part, with discussions following several earlier rounds of negotiations since November. The talks come as diplomatic efforts continue alongside ongoing fighting, with both Russia and Ukraine reporting casualties from drone and missile strikes.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ukraine’s response to the revised US peace plan addresses the issue of potential territorial concessions — a central obstacle in efforts to end Russia’s war. European leaders have invited the US to discuss the proposal this weekend, with further talks possible in Berlin, next week.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has dismissed the Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy, which portrays freedom of expression in Europe as eroding. Speaking in Berlin, he said Germany needs no advice on free speech protections and defended the country’s constitutional safeguards and free media.
