Ukraine to Purchase Chinese Drone Parts with EU Funds

Ukraine will be able to use part of the European Union's defense credit to purchase Chinese components for drones. Brussels has agreed to an exception to the rules that highlight Europe's dependence on China for critical parts amid the slow development of the defense industry. Kyiv has received special permission under the first tranche amounting to approximately 6 billion euros to finance the procurement of drones, which is part of a larger aid package of 60 billion euros for Ukrainian defense. Typically, the use of EU credit is restricted, and military products must be purchased from the domestic market or approved partners; however, European factories cannot quickly supply Ukraine with the necessary components. Therefore, an exception is provided in case of shortages. Ukraine has officially requested permission to purchase Chinese parts for UAVs that cannot be found on the European market. A representative of the European Commission confirmed that deviations from the rules are only possible in exceptional cases. According to Ukrainian officials, drones account for about 80% of Russian troop losses on the battlefield. Despite the development of Ukraine's drone industry, the country is forced to seek imported components due to a lack of alternatives in the West. The EU also accuses China of supporting the Russian military machine by supplying dual-use goods.