Latest news with #AndrisSprūds
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Drone coalition pledges €2.75bn to support Ukraine in 2025
The international drone coalition has committed to providing €2.75 billion in 2025 to support Ukraine's defence against Russian aggression. Source: Latvian Ministry of Defence, as reported by the Oboronka project of Mezha Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company Details: Türkiye and Belgium have expressed their intention to join the coalition, which currently comprises 18 countries. Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds announced these developments during the Drone Summit in Riga on 28 May 2025. Sprūds stated that the coalition's expansion will enable increased drone supplies to Ukraine while strengthening the defence industries of Latvia, the EU and NATO countries. Since its establishment on 14 February 2024, the drone coalition has provided significant support to Ukraine, allocating €1.8 billion in 2024. Over two years, total support will reach €4.5 billion. The minister noted that coalition members have collectively contributed approximately €180 million to the UK-led UAV procurement fund. This fund supports centralised drone procurement alongside national support measures by each member country. Latvia plans to allocate €20 million in 2025 for drone purchases within the coalition framework, plus an additional €10 million for collaborative projects with Ukrainian defence companies. In 2024, Latvia contributed €20 million and supplied nearly 5,000 combat drones to Ukraine. Background: The coalition currently includes Latvia, the United Kingdom, Australia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Estonia, Italy, New Zealand, Canada, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Germany, Sweden and Ukraine. With Türkiye and Belgium's accession, membership will grow to 20 countries. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Belgium's defense minister says drones are the future of warfare, like gunpowder was in the 1300s
Belgium's defense minister said drones are "the future of warfare." Theo Francken, speaking at a drone summit in Latvia, compared drones to gunpowder in the 1300s. Belgium, alongside Turkey, plans to join a group of countries boosting drone production for Ukraine. Belgium's defense minister compared the revolutionary impact of drone warfare to that of gunpowder as European officials pledged to boost drone production for Ukraine. "I really believe that this is the future of warfare, like gunpowder was in the Hundred Years War, like an industrial revolution was in the First World War, and like nuclear capacity was in the Second World War," Theo Francken said, speaking at the Drone Summit 2025 in Riga, Latvia. "Drone technology and drone warfare will be decisive in the Russian-Ukrainian war," he added. "And we need to jump on this train because otherwise we'll lose pretty much everything." Earlier that day, Latvia's defense minister, Andris Sprūds, announced that Belgium and Turkey planned to join the 18-member Drone Coalition for Ukraine, formed in 2024 to pool resources and expertise to produce drones for Ukraine's armed forces. Drones have transformed the war in Ukraine, with Ukraine using cheap uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, for surveillance and attacks, offsetting Russia's large equipment and personnel advantage. The country has also developed sophisticated long-range strike drones for attacks deep inside Russian territory, not to mention powerful sea drones. Russia, for its part, has developed its own sophisticated drone warfare capabilities and has used drones to attack Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. The Drone Coalition for Ukraine, formed by the UK and Latvia, invested €1.8 billion, or about $2 billion, in producing drones for Ukraine in 2024, Latvian broadcaster LVM reported. On Wednesday, Sprūds, the Latvian defense minister, said the drone coalition was on course to provide €2 billion of further funding for Ukraine's drones in 2025. "Our aim remains to reinforce the supply of drones to Ukraine," he said, "So Ukraine maintains the battlefield superiority but also, of course, invest in Ukraine, so it also develops its own industry." Ukraine's government has set the target of producing 4.5 million military drones in 2025. Speaking at the summit, Luke Pollard, the UK's Minister for the Armed Forces in the Ministry of Defence, echoed Francken's comments about the impact of drones. "The drone coalition exists because we all understand how drones have shifted the tectonic plates of warfare," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Belgium's defense minister says drones are the future of warfare, like gunpowder was in the 1300s
Belgium's defense minister compared the revolutionary impact of drone warfare to that of gunpowder as European officials pledged to boost drone production for Ukraine. "I really believe that this is the future of warfare, like gunpowder was in the Hundred Years War, like an industrial revolution was in the First World War, and like nuclear capacity was in the Second World War," Theo Francken said, speaking at the Drone Summit 2025 in Riga, Latvia. "Drone technology and drone warfare will be decisive in the Russian-Ukrainian war," he added. "And we need to jump on this train because otherwise we'll lose pretty much everything." Earlier that day, Latvia's defense minister, Andris Sprūds, announced that Belgium and Turkey planned to join the 18-member Drone Coalition for Ukraine, formed in 2024 to pool resources and expertise to produce drones for Ukraine's armed forces. Drones have transformed the war in Ukraine, with Ukraine using cheap uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, for surveillance and attacks, offsetting Russia's large equipment and personnel advantage. The country has also developed sophisticated long-range strike drones for attacks deep inside Russian territory, not to mention powerful sea drones. Russia, for its part, has developed its own sophisticated drone warfare capabilities and has used drones to attack Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure. Getting drones to Ukraine The Drone Coalition for Ukraine, formed by the UK and Latvia, invested €1.8 billion, or about $2 billion, in producing drones for Ukraine in 2024, Latvian broadcaster LVM reported. On Wednesday, Sprūds, the Latvian defense minister, said the drone coalition was on course to provide €2 billion of further funding for Ukraine's drones in 2025. "Our aim remains to reinforce the supply of drones to Ukraine," he said, "So Ukraine maintains the battlefield superiority but also, of course, invest in Ukraine, so it also develops its own industry." Ukraine's government has set the target of producing 4.5 million military drones in 2025. Speaking at the summit, Luke Pollard, the UK's Minister for the Armed Forces in the Ministry of Defence, echoed Francken's comments about the impact of drones. "The drone coalition exists because we all understand how drones have shifted the tectonic plates of warfare," he said.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine to receive 1,500 drones from Latvia
Latvia has committed to sending a further 1,500 combat drones as supplies to Ukraine's Armed Forces. Source: Latvia's Defence Minister Andris Sprūds on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: On Tuesday 1 April, Sprūds announced that Latvia will deliver a further 1,500 combat drones to Ukraine. Quote: "Two Latvian companies will provide Ukraine with a total of 12,000 drones worth €17 million as part of an international coalition of drones in the first half of this year," he added. Latvian supplies en route to Ukraine. Photo: Sprūds on X For reference: The drone coalition, led by the United Kingdom and Latvia, was established in January 2024 to enhance Ukraine's unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities. Background: On 24 March, it was reported that the coalition had allocated €20 million from a joint fund to procure tactical-level reconnaissance drones for the Ukrainian defence forces. On 28 March, the Swedish government directed its Armed Forces to contribute funds to coalitions focused on mine clearance and unmanned aerial vehicles under the Ramstein support framework for Kyiv. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Latvia orders Patria armoured vehicles for Ukraine
Latvia has ordered Patria 6x6 armoured personnel carriers to be delivered to Ukraine later this year. Source: European Pravda, citing Latvia's Defence Ministry Details: The ministry announced that it has ordered Patria 6x6 armoured personnel carriers for Ukraine, though the exact number of vehicles has not been disclosed. Quote from Latvia's Defence Minister Andris Sprūds: "These armoured vehicles, manufactured in Latvia, will be delivered to Ukraine's defenders this year. This not only supports Ukraine in its fight against the occupiers but also allows us to test the performance and durability of the vehicles in real combat conditions, providing valuable insights for our own armed forces." The order for Ukraine will not affect the fulfilment of existing contracts for the Latvian military. Background: Earlier, the Finnish company Patria received an order from Latvia to supply 56 armoured command-and-control vehicles. In early 2025, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs expressed his expectation that Latvia's defence spending would reach 4% of GDP. Support UP or become our patron!
