Ukraine could manufacture over 8 million drones of various types per year but faces a critical financing gap that prevents reaching this capacity, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced at a defense industry conference in The Hague during the NATO summit in the Netherlands.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s defense production potential has reached $35 billion and encompasses almost 1,000 product categories ranging from artillery and traditional armored vehicles to modern drones and missiles. However, approximately 40% of this potential lacks proper financing, creating a significant production shortfall.

Zelenskyy emphasized that the conflict extends beyond a bilateral confrontation with Russia.

“The source of this war and the long-term threat to Europe is Russia,” Zelenskyy stated. “But in reality, we are not just facing Russia alone. We are facing a network of state and non-state actors.” 

This network encompasses Russia, North Korea, Iran‘s current regime, Chinese companies, and what he described as “countless schemes around the world” that help produce weapons against Ukraine and Europe.

The Ukrainian president warned that Russia is planning new military operations on NATO territory and stressed the urgency of stopping the current war.

“There are no signs that Putin wants to stop this war,” Zelenskyy said. “Perhaps he connects his own political survival with the ability to continue killing: as long as he kills, he lives. Our intelligence confirms this.”

Earlier, Zelenskyy warned in a Sky News interview that Russia could attack a NATO member within the next five years as a way to test the alliance’s unity and resolve. 

He believes that while Russian President Vladimir Putin is not ready for immediate action, by 2030 Russia could have significantly greater military capabilities, especially if sanctions are lifted and the Russian army is rebuilt. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is currently constraining Russia’s military preparations by engaging its forces on the battlefield.

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Zelenskyy called on European countries to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP and allocate at least 0.25% of GDP specifically to support Ukraine’s military needs.

The president issued a detailed appeal against supply chains enabling Russia’s weapons manufacturing.

“Today there is no significant Russian weapon that would be produced without components, equipment, or materials from other countries, unfortunately, including from Europe and NATO countries,” Zelenskyy said.

He noted that such components appear in every Russian missile, most drones, and combat vehicles, sourcing from China, Taiwan, European countries, and the United States.

Ukraine expressed openness to various cooperation formats in the defense sector, including transferring Ukrainian experience and developments to countries providing the most assistance.

On 23 June, Ukraine and the United Kingdom launched their first joint military-industrial drone production program. This three-year “mega-project” involves Britain financing the procurement of Ukrainian-designed drones that will be produced on British soil, with all drones manufactured during the ongoing war directed to support Ukraine’s Defense Forces. After the conflict ends, the drones will be shared between the two countries.

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Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted Ukraine’s rapid development of advanced defense manufacturing during the war.

“That’s why we have a NATO innovation office working in Kyiv – we are learning from Ukraine,” von der Leyen stated. She noted that Russia is also studying and adopting Ukrainian defense innovations.

Trump expressed anticipation for meeting his “European friends” at the summit and reiterated his goal of reaching a “deal” with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. While the US president still has hopes to negotiate peace with Russia, the previous peace talks in Istanbul showed little progress.

Earlier, anonymous sources told Politico that Zelenskyy was excluded from the NATO main sessions due to the US administration’s reluctance to emphasize the ongoing war that Trump had promised to resolve “quickly.”

President Trump’s attention is currently focused more on the conflict between Israel and Iran rather than on Ukraine. Notably, when Putin offered to mediate between Iran and Israel, Trump responded that Russia should first address its own issues, specifically resolving the war with Ukraine.