The founder of several major American private military companies wants to acquire Ukrainian drone manufacturers.
The Guardian reported on this, citing its own sources.
According to the publication, Erik Prince, the former owner of Blackwater and now the founder of Vectus Global, is actively seeking to promote his services to Ukrainian companies.
He is also seeking to acquire drone manufacturers, but these attempts have so far been unsuccessful, as such companies are considered strategic assets for Ukraine in the context of the war.
Prince, according to sources, is attempting to replicate his traditional business model.
This does not surprise experts, as he has close ties to the administration of Donald Trump and years of experience profiting from foreign wars.
One former American special forces operative who worked in Ukraine noted that a private military company without drones or electronic warfare systems was essentially unable to operate in modern conditions.
Ukraine has long been in Erik Prince’s business focus. As early as 2020, he offered Kyiv a multibillion-dollar plan to use his private army for ‘settling’ the war in Donbas, but the deal was never realized.
Despite this, most Ukrainian companies refuse to cooperate with him due to his dubious reputation.
His attempts to create a PMC in China, which involved recruiting the former members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, only worsened his image and made him ‘unacceptable to most people’ from an intelligence perspective.
It is quite possible that Prince is acting with the support of the U.S. government, which seeks to acquire new technologies for mass drone production.
Recently, it was reported that the U.S. and Ukraine were considering a deal worth around $100 billion, which would allow the supply of weapons from the U.S. in exchange for intellectual property on new developments.
As part of these negotiations, the U.S. is discussing a deal worth around $100 billion with Ukraine. Under this agreement, Ukraine will be able to purchase American weapons, while the United States will gain intellectual property rights to advanced Ukrainian developments.
