EU Nations Strengthen Drone Defenses, Pledge U.S. Weapons to Ukraine

European defense ministers convened in Berlin this week and announced a package of measures to expand Ukraine’s ability to defend against aerial and drone threats, while pledging access to U.S. produced weapons that are not manufactured in Europe. Germany committed to delivering at least €150 million in U.S. made military equipment under a program designed to make available to Ukraine weapons that only America produces. That commitment was presented as an addition to military aid recently approved by the German parliament.

The meeting, held as part of a Group of Five gathering at the German Defence Ministry, also produced a wider budgetary signal from Berlin. Germany plans to allocate €11.5 billion in 2026 to support Ukraine, a €3 billion increase from the current year. German officials framed the increase as necessary to sustain long term air defence and counter drone capabilities, while acknowledging the fiscal and political implications of sustained military assistance.

Ministers emphasized interoperability and logistics in their discussions, reflecting a growing reliance on U.S. systems within European support packages. Making U.S. made weapons available through European channels addresses immediate battlefield needs but raises strategic questions about Europe’s industrial independence and long term procurement priorities. Greater use of U.S. proprietary systems will require continued coordination on training, maintenance, and supply lines, and may shape future European defense investment choices.

The ministers also shared a stark intelligence assessment attributing the vast majority of recent strikes to Russian targeting of civilian infrastructure. Officials from Italy and Germany, along with the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, cited an estimate that 93 percent of Russian strikes in Ukraine hit civilian targets. The finding sharpened the political imperative behind the diplomatic message articulated by Kallas, who said the bloc’s goal remains a full and immediate ceasefire but added, “Russia does not want to negotiate at all.”

That juxtaposition of stepped up military support and insistence on a ceasefire underlines a key tension for European governments. Providing systems to blunt drone and missile strikes is aimed at mitigating civilian harm and preventing territorial losses, yet it carries the risk of further entrenching the conflict and complicating diplomatic pathways. For parliaments across the EU, decisions over funding and arms transfers will become an increasingly salient issue for voters as defense budgets grow and battlefield reports of civilian suffering persist.

The meeting also highlighted institutional challenges for the European Union as it balances collective diplomatic objectives with national parliamentary oversight. Making U.S. only systems available to Kyiv requires coordination not only among EU capitals but with Washington, and it tests mechanisms for transparency and accountability in arms transfers. As governments expand support, public scrutiny and demands for clear reporting on where equipment goes and how it is used are likely to intensify.

European leaders face a policy choice between immediate force protection for Ukrainian civilians and long term efforts to reduce the likelihood of further escalation. The decisions made in Berlin reflect a short term prioritization of defensive capabilities, while the political debate over exit strategies, oversight, and the path to a negotiated peace is set to continue.