Leonardo may offer drone tech but has no plans for plant in Ukraine, CEO tells paper

Italy's Leonardo is open to supplying technology for drones but it does not plan to open a factory in Ukraine, the chief executive of the state-controlled defence group told daily Corriere della Sera in an interview published on Saturday.

Rome hosted a conference on Thursday to mobilise international support for Ukraine, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the participants pledged more than €10 billion ($12 billion) to help the war-torn country.

Leonardo has clinched an agreement with Turkish defence company Baykar and will soon begin production of drones in Italy, the Italian group's CEO Roberto Cingolani told Corriere, adding that Baykar was cooperating with Ukraine.


"We, in cooperation with other players, can make a technological contribution. We will see what the real demands are," Cingolani told the paper.

Leonardo could help with equipment that makes drones more effective, the CEO said without elaborating.

"Having said that, we do not plan to open a factory in Ukraine," he added.

Baykar was not immediately available to comment.

($1 = €0.8555)