Finance
Europe's strongest military powers plan drone defence programme
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 20, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 20, 2026
Tags:European Union
Quick Summary
France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK will unveil LEAP to co-develop low‑cost effectors and autonomous drones. The plan boosts Europe’s defence industry, applies Ukraine’s lessons and aligns with NATO/EU efforts against Russian threats.
Europe’s Leading Military Powers to Launch Joint Autonomous Drone Defence
By Barbara Erling
KRAKOW, Poland, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Europe's five biggest defence powers are set to announce a plan to invest in military drones, as part of wider efforts to boost the defence industry in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and concerns about the U.S. commitment to NATO.
According to a document seen by Reuters, and a Polish defence ministry source, the five aim to cooperate in developing autonomous drones.
Why Drones Now: Lessons from Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has shown how autonomous interceptor drones can provide an effective alternative to costly air-defence missiles, and Kyiv's European allies are keen to learn from its experience.
Who’s Involved: Europe’s E5
The European Group of Five Defence Ministers, which meets in Krakow, Poland on Friday, brings together the continent's biggest military spenders - France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Britain.
They are meeting as European leaders work to boost defence capabilities amid increased European doubts about Washington's commitment to protect the continent through the NATO alliance.
LEAP Initiative and Defence-Industry Impact
The statement seen by Reuters - still subject to change - said ministers "support a real increase in the production capacity of the European defence industrial base" and "welcome the EU's commitment to providing Member states with increased fiscal flexibility for defence spending and to create lending instruments".
NATO and EU Roles in the Plan
However, it says that the EU's role is to support defence capabilities which remain at the national level.
Support for Ukraine and Peace Efforts
The ministers also pledge to work together within NATO and the EU to counter Russian hybrid threats, and to continue supporting Ukraine and efforts to find peace, the statement said.
What LEAP Covers: Low-Cost Effectors & Autonomy
"We agree to launch the Low-Cost Effectors and Autonomous Platforms (LEAP) initiative," the statement seen by Reuters said. It said the aim was "to increase our cooperation on the development and procurement of low-cost effectors and autonomous platforms to deliver military effect."
Definitions: Effectors and Autonomous Platforms
Procurement and Development Goals
In military terminology, "effectors" are the components of a system which produce a physical effect, while "autonomous platforms" are unmanned systems capable of independent decision-making.
(Reporting by Barbara Erling in Krakow and Lili Bayer in Brussels: Writing by Alan Charlish; Editing by David Holmes)
Key Takeaways
- •France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK plan LEAP to co-develop low-cost effectors and autonomous platforms.
- •The initiative targets scalable, cheaper counter‑drone options versus costly air‑defence missiles.
- •Lessons from Ukraine’s drone warfare inform the focus on interceptor drones and autonomy.
- •E5 aims to align projects with NATO and EU frameworks, tapping fiscal flexibility and lending tools.
- •Ministers met in Kraków, pledging to counter Russian hybrid threats and continue support for Ukraine.
Frequently Asked Questions about Europe's strongest military powers plan drone defence programme
1What is the main topic?
Europe’s five largest defence spenders plan to launch the LEAP initiative to co-develop low-cost effectors and autonomous drones, strengthening Europe’s defence industry and air-defence capabilities.
2Which countries are involved?
France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom—the E5 grouping of Europe’s biggest defence spenders.
3Why focus on low-cost autonomous systems?
The Ukraine war showed autonomous interceptor drones can counter threats more economically than expensive air‑defence missiles, enabling scalable protection against drone swarms.
4How does this relate to NATO and the EU?
Ministers intend to align LEAP with NATO and EU frameworks, while welcoming EU fiscal flexibility and lending tools to expand defence production capacity.
