Latvia and Ukraine plan to build a joint drone production facility near Latvia’s border with Russia and Belarus, Delfi reported, citing Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs after an extraordinary government meeting in the border region of Latgale.

According to Kulbergs, a drone defense system is expected to appear on the border in July or August 2026. Its deployment is intended to make it possible to respond to UAV threats without having to scramble aircraft each time.

Latvian Defense Minister Raivis Melnis visited one of the air defense posts near the border, where UAV interception systems have already been deployed. Similar positions are planned along the entire border with Russia and Belarus.

In early June, Kulbergs and Vladimir Zelensky signed a 10-year agreement on comprehensive defense cooperation. The document provides for Riga to use Ukraine’s experience in protecting airspace from drone attacks.

Kiev, for its part, is expected to support exports for the needs of the Latvian army. According to Delfi, Riga plans to allocate at least five percent of its 2027 defense budget to these goals during the first two years of the agreement. The amount is estimated at around 110 million euros.

The agreement states that the two sides will strengthen security through the exchange of technology, experience and expertise. Particular attention is given to air and missile defense, strike drones, naval drones, interceptor UAVs and electronic warfare systems.

Riga and Kiev also intend to examine the possibility of deploying their forces on each other’s territory when this becomes practically feasible.