**Turkey and Belgium to Join International Drone Coalition Supporting Ukraine**
In a significant development, Turkey and Belgium have expressed their intention to join the international drone coalition supporting Ukraine. This announcement was made by Latvia’s Defense Minister Andris Sprūds during a recent summit of the drone coalition.
The international alliance, established in February 2024, brings together over 18 member states to supply Ukraine with drones and related technologies. The Drone Coalition aims to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and support its fight against Russian aggression.
**Coalition Strengthens, More Drones on the Way**
According to Sprūds, the addition of Turkey and Belgium will significantly boost the coalition’s strength. He said that the alliance will be able to deliver more drones to Ukraine while simultaneously strengthening the defense industries of Latvia, the EU, and NATO countries.
The drone coalition currently consists of 18 member states. With the admission of Turkey and Belgium, the coalition will expand to 20 countries. The addition of new members requires approval from existing coalition participants.
**Financial Support Grows**
Coalition member states have contributed approximately €180 million ($204 mn) to a joint procurement fund managed by the United Kingdom. This fund enables centralized purchases of drone technology alongside individual national support measures from each member country.
Latvia has announced that it will allocate €20 million ($23 mn) for drone purchases in 2025, with an additional €10 million ($11 mn) set aside for cooperation projects between Latvian and Ukrainian industries.
**Substantial Support to Ukraine**
The drone coalition has provided substantial support to Ukraine since its establishment. Member states delivered €1.8 billion ($2 bn) in assistance during 2024 alone. They plan to allocate €2.75 billion ($3 bn) for Ukraine support in 2025, bringing the total commitment over two years to €4.5 billion ($5 bn).
**Coalition Members**
The coalition was founded on February 14, 2024, and is led by Latvia and the United Kingdom. Current members include Australia, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Ukraine, and the UK.
In March, the drone coalition allocated €20 million ($23 mn) to purchase tactical reconnaissance drones for Ukraine. Norway recently agreed to Ukraine’s request to direct a larger portion of its support funds toward Ukrainian drone production.
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