Kyiv and Athens have reached an agreement to co-produce unmanned surface vessels (USVs), signaling a deepening of defense ties amid heightened security concerns in the Black sea and Mediterranean regions. The deal, finalized during Ukrainian President Volodymyr zelenskyy’s visit to Greece on Sunday, aims to combine Ukraine‘s operational experience with USVs and greece’s shipbuilding capacity [[1]]. This collaboration reflects a broader trend of bolstering Ukraine’s defense industrial base with allied support, as it seeks to counter naval capabilities demonstrated by Russia and other regional actors.
Ukraine and Greece have reached a preliminary agreement to jointly produce unmanned surface vessels (USVs), a move Kyiv hopes will allow it to close a technological gap with Turkey. The understanding was reached during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Athens on Sunday, November 16, according to reports.
The collaboration aims to leverage Ukraine’s experience in utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles, and builds on Greece’s own development of its first USV in 2021. Ukrainian firms will participate in the production of 15 different types of USVs currently being manufactured in Ukraine, with assembly taking place in Greek shipyards. Both countries intend to deploy the vessels for their own defense needs.
The agreement comes as regional security concerns continue to rise in the Mediterranean and Black Sea areas. The joint production effort will be funded through Greece’s Medium-Term Defense Planning budget, and officials are also seeking to incorporate it into the European Security Action Plan (SAFE).
Following Zelenskyy’s visit, a joint statement released by Greece and Ukraine detailed a broader commitment to deepen defense cooperation in the maritime domain. “The parties decided to deepen defense cooperation regarding security in the maritime domain, including the development and deployment of unmanned surface vehicles, joint exercises and training related to unmanned maritime systems, and information sharing in the field of maritime threats,” the statement read.
Ukraine is hoping to offset a technological advantage held by Turkey, which has been a leading producer of USVs. The development underscores the increasing importance of unmanned systems in modern naval warfare and the growing collaboration between Ukraine and its allies in bolstering its defense capabilities.
