Fedorov proposes drone tech for Patriots, seeks US defense fund investment

Key facts

• Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov is seeking U.S. investment for a new defense technology fund.
• Fedorov offered to help the U.S. develop drone capabilities in exchange for Patriot missile interceptors for Ukraine.
• The proposed fund would focus on battlefield robotics, high-speed interceptor drones, and AI-equipped missiles.
• Fedorov was dismissed as defense minister by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
• He also called for wartime elections in Ukraine.
• Fedorov agreed to serve as an adviser to Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on modern warfare technologies.

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov is seeking U.S. investment for a new defense technology fund and has proposed a trade: helping Washington develop drone capabilities in exchange for Patriot missile interceptors. Fedorov, who was recently dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, is currently on an international trip that has included Italy and the United States.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Fedorov described the fund not as a classic venture capital vehicle but as a means to "write a new history of the war." The fund would initially target battlefield robotics, advanced interceptor drones, and low-cost missiles with artificial intelligence. He expressed readiness to "build an army of drones" for the U.S. in return for the critical Patriot systems needed to counter Russia's intensified missile and drone attacks.

Fedorov's dismissal from his ministerial post in a Cabinet reshuffle led to protests and raised his political profile. He recently called for wartime elections, a move that divided public opinion, which he defended as an effort to "update the state's operating system" rather than a challenge to Zelensky. His trip follows a visit to Italy, where he agreed to advise Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on modern warfare technologies. Fedorov indicated he might consider similar advisory roles with other partner countries and remains in contact with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, though he declined to comment on potential meetings.