Renault confirmed on Sunday that it has been approached by the French government to explore the possibility of manufacturing drones in Ukraine. However, the company emphasized that no

formal decision has been made.

"The defense ministry has contacted us. Discussions have taken place, but no decision has been made at this stage as we are awaiting further details from the ministry," a Renault spokesperson told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Earlier, French broadcaster Franceinfo reported—without naming sources—that Renault was planning to set up drone production facilities in Ukraine, potentially “dozens or hundreds of kilometres from the front line.”

Ukraine has become increasingly reliant on drones in its ongoing defense against Russian forces. On June 1, Ukraine deployed over 100 drones in a coordinated attack on Russian military aircraft deep inside Russian territory, an operation dubbed "Spider’s Web."

This development follows remarks by French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, who said Friday that a major French car manufacturer would be partnering with a French defense company to establish drone production lines in Ukraine. While Lecornu did not name Renault directly, he confirmed the effort aimed to support Ukraine’s defense and simultaneously enhance the French military’s exposure to real-world combat scenarios.

According to Lecornu, Ukrainian forces currently outperform their French counterparts in drone usage and innovation.

The French government owns a 15% stake in Renault. Photo by Luis García, Wikimedia commons.