US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the deployment of American military experts to Ukraine to study the use of drones in real combat conditions.
He made the statement during a hearing in the US Senate committee on May 13, broadcast on the Associated Press YouTube channel.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell asked the official about deploying personnel to gather operational experience, calling Ukraine the Silicon Valley of warfare.
Hegseth said the US is interested in studying both offensive and defensive aspects of UAV use. He personally approved expanding the Pentagon presence in Ukraine to monitor changes in combat tactics.
“I’ve personally approved additional personnel there to learn from that drone battlefield, both on offense and defense, to ensure that we’re learning every possible lesson from that conflict and incorporating it in real time into how we defend and we go on offense in an era where drone dominance is required,” Hegseth said.
The US and Ukrainian governments have prepared a draft memorandum outlining the terms of a potential new defense agreement between the two countries.
The document, developed by the US State Department together with Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Olha Stefanishyna, is the first step toward a deal that could allow Ukraine to export military technology to the US and establish drone production in joint ventures with American companies.
