Belgium and Turkey have joined the International Drone Coalition, an initiative to bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
The decision expands the over one-year-old coalition to 20 members, enhancing Kyiv’s chances of bolstering its drone capabilities.
Led by Latvia and the UK, the group includes Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and 14 other countries including Ukraine.
“The International Drone Coalition continues to grow, and this is a clear signal that support for Ukraine is not only maintained, but is becoming stronger and more steadfast,” Latvian Minister of Defense Andris Sprūds said.
“The joining of new allies to the coalition will allow us to provide Ukraine with much-needed support on the battlefield in the fight against the aggressor even more purposefully and effectively, while also strengthening our and our allied countries’ defense industries.”
Coalition Support
Launched in January 2024 to create an asymmetric technological edge over Russia, the coalition supported Ukraine last year with the supply of capabilities worth 1.8 billion euros ($2.11 billion).
For 2025, the group has pledged to raise its contribution to 2.75 billion euros ($3.22 billion).
The funding by the coalition goes into centralized purchases of drone technologies.
For the effort, Latvia plans to contribute 20 million euros ($23 million) this year, in addition to joint industrial projects worth $11 million between Latvian and Ukrainian defense industries.
Last year Riga also allocated 20 million euros for the support of Ukraine.
