A senior German conservative lawmaker is calling for a formal defence agreement with Kyiv that would grant Berlin access to Ukrainian drone technology in exchange for continued military support.
Alexander Hoffmann, who leads the Christian Social Union's parliamentary group, said Germany should benefit from Ukrainian innovations in drone production, counter-drone systems and cruise missiles. He framed the arrangement as a "support dividend," arguing that Ukraine should be obligated to share its expertise with the Bundeswehr as a binding counter-obligation for German aid. Hoffmann also stressed the need to rapidly scale up drone manufacturing capacity if circumstances require it.
The proposal comes ahead of the CSU parliamentary group's closed-door meeting on 27–28 July at Banz Abbey in Franconia, where defence and support for Ukraine are expected to feature prominently on the agenda.