{"text":[[{"start":6.7,"text":"Kyiv and Washington are preparing to sign a first-of-its-kind agreement to allow the export of Ukrainian drones for military testing in the US, according to a draft document and officials involved."}],[{"start":20.2,"text":"The draft statement of intent seen by the FT sets out plans for the temporary export of Ukrainian unmanned systems for land, sea and air operations to support US “test and evaluation activities” and help shape future American military requirements."}],[{"start":35.8,"text":"The document, negotiated by the US Department of Defense, its Ukrainian counterpart and the ambassador to Washington, Olha Stefanishyna, reflects the Trump administration’s growing interest in Kyiv’s rapidly developing battlefield technologies."}],[{"start":50.449999999999996,"text":"Its preamble acknowledges the “common interest in future co-operative production, development, or purchase of Ukrainian technology that would benefit the US warfighter while scaling Ukraine’s defence innovation”."}],[{"start":63.14999999999999,"text":"After more than four years of full-scale war with Russia, Ukraine has transformed into a hub for drone innovation, reshaping how conflicts are being fought."}],[{"start":72.24999999999999,"text":"President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hawked his country’s interceptor drones and other unmanned weapons systems to the US, Europe and other partners. More than 200 Ukrainian experts, as well as interceptor drones and jamming devices, have been deployed to the Middle East since the US and Israel’s war with Iran spread in March."}],[{"start":92.94999999999999,"text":"Zelenskyy has signed several defence agreements with Gulf countries but has not yet finalised any deals to sell drones or defence systems to them."}],[{"start":101.79999999999998,"text":"The Ukrainian president told the FT in April that those drone interceptors as well as his country’s electronic warfare systems had been used to take down Iranian attack drones in the region."}],[{"start":112.69999999999999,"text":"Publicly, Donald Trump has dismissed Ukrainian assistance in the region since he launched the war with Iran, claiming the US “know[s] more about drones than anybody”."}],[{"start":121.94999999999999,"text":"Under the draft proposal, the Pentagon would request specific drone platforms and quantities solely for testing and evaluation “to inform development of US military requirements for potential future acquisition” rather than operational deployment."}],[{"start":135.54999999999998,"text":"Any potential future deal for the drone systems “is to be pursued through a separate agreement or arrangement”, the document reads."}],[{"start":142.6,"text":"The document lists the signatories as Daniel Zimmerman, assistant secretary of war for international security affairs and Serhiy Boyev, deputy minister of defence of Ukraine."}],[{"start":154,"text":"The US and Ukrainian defence ministries and the US embassy in Kyiv did not immediately respond to requests for comment."}],[{"start":161.85,"text":"Defence secretary Pete Hegseth last year launched the “Drone Dominance” initiative, “an iterative $1bn plan to purchase small, lethal drones over the next two years . . . to accelerate growth of the US industrial base and rapidly arm combat units with low-cost, consumable drones at scale”."}],[{"start":180.04999999999998,"text":"The Ukrainian drones to be imported will be identified by “Drone Dominance”. Kyiv would aim to respond to US export requests within 10 business days."}],[{"start":189.29999999999998,"text":"Zelenskyy announced the opening of exports last month, with the caveat that companies first supply Ukraine’s military with what it needs to defend itself from Russian forces as their invasion grinds on."}],[{"start":201.29999999999998,"text":"The agreement falls well short of a “drone deal” worth up to $50bn that Zelenskyy for the past year pushed the Trump administration to sign up to. That deal would involve joint production of Ukrainian drone technology in the US."}],[{"start":215.95,"text":"But the military testing agreement for Ukrainian drones could mark a first step towards a broader defence partnership with the US, according to people involved in drafting the agreement."}],[{"start":226.14999999999998,"text":"The document leaves open the possibility that Ukrainian drones could be used in “operational testing environments” on a case-by-case basis, with “explicit written request” from both governments."}],[{"start":237.29999999999998,"text":"The statement of intent would remain in force for two years after being signed but it does not create legally binding obligations or commit the sides to funding, procurement or technology transfers."}],[{"start":249.85,"text":"CBS News earlier reported some elements of a US-Ukraine drone memorandum. "}],[{"start":255,"text":"On Tuesday, a deepening corruption scandal involving Zelenskyy’s inner circle appeared to involve some of Ukraine’s drone makers. "}],[{"start":262.35,"text":"Semen Kryvonos, director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), told reporters in Kyiv that the probe engulfing Zelenskyy’s former chief of staff spanned the energy and defence sectors and that numerous Ukrainian weapons manufacturers, including drone companies, were under investigation for alleged corruption."}],[{"start":290.05000000000007,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1778638080_3507.mp3"}