Ukraine to open battlefield-tested arms export centres across Europe, Zelenskyy says

The much-anticipated decision is set to transform Ukraine’s defence industry and allow Kyiv’s partners to access the rarest type of weapons – those tested on the actual battlefield, the Ukrainian president said on Monday.

Ukraine will open 10 weapon export centres in Europe in a major wartime policy shift, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Monday.Zelenskyy said the centres will operate in several European countries, with Germany set to be among the first, as production of Ukrainian drones is scheduled to begin there within the next few days.“In mid-February, we will see the production of our drones in Germany. I will receive the first drone. This is a fully operational production line”, Zelenskyy stated.He also added that “similar production lines” are already running in the UK. “These are all Ukrainian technologies,” he emphasised.Zelenskyy said there are currently 450 drone producers in Ukraine. Out of “40-50 are top-tier,” according to the Ukrainian president.“Everyone wants to invest. This year, 2026, will be a year of investment in our technologies," he said."First and foremost, drones. This is a large industry, a new industry. According to the finances coming into Ukraine during the war, it is the largest industry in Ukraine.”Restrictions on Ukraine’s arms exportsIn September 2025 Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would begin exporting domestically produced weapons, lifting a restriction introduced when Kyiv declared martial law.Exports of Ukraine's domestic weapons had been heavily restricted since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, with everything rolling off the production line diverted to the war effort.Ukraine’s defence industry and its drone sector in particular have exploded since the beginning of Russia’s all-out war.Approximately 800 arms producers are currently operating in Ukraine, and many of them ramped up their production to a significant surplus.According to the most recent reports, Ukraine is now producing over 4 million drones annually and could double that number with sufficient funding.The arms producers had been asking Zelenskyy for months to lift restrictions on selling their domestically produced military-grade equipment, particularly drones, to generate more revenue.For over half a year Kyiv had been working on what it has defined as the "controlled export" of weapons.Under the proposed system, Ukraine will export surplus military equipment and use the proceeds to fund urgently needed weapons.‘Time to demonstrate Ukraine’s capabilities’In May 2025, Ukrainian defence manufacturers issued a public letter to Zelenskyy, calling on him to lift export restrictions on domestically produced military-grade equipment, particularly drones, to help the sector grow and better integrate into Europe's security architecture. "It is time to demonstrate that Ukraine is capable of being not only a party that receives international support, but also a full-fledged partner that exports security through cooperation, technology, and its own experience," the letter read."As Europe grapples with transatlantic uncertainty and armed conflicts escalate worldwide, our strategic partners are actively seeking to strengthen their defence capabilities through innovative and affordable technological solutions," the manufacturers explained."And here, Ukraine holds a unique advantage. Our defence industry — evolving under constant battlefield conditions — is already producing the technologies the world is looking for."Announcing 10 weapon export centres in Europe Monday, Zelenskyy noted that this project is part of a broader effort to internationalise Ukraine's arms production."Today, Europe’s security is built on technology and drones. There are several different projects. All of this will be based largely on Ukrainian technologies and Ukrainian specialists."