Ukraine has consented to sending drones to the United States to join the Pentagon's Drone Dominance initiative, according to a source with knowledge of the situation who spoke to Reuters on Wednesday.

This pact emerges while Kyiv and Washington continue talks on a broader agreement involving Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles. The effectiveness of these systems in combat against Russia has sparked significant interest from various nations seeking to gain insights and acquire units for evaluation.

The source, who requested anonymity, indicated that six Ukrainian firms have been authorized to ship roughly 100 drones apiece.

Neither Kyiv nor Washington provided an official response immediately.

UA News, a Ukrainian online publication, reported that autonomous platforms for land, air, and sea will be provided to the Department of Defense for assessment of their performance. These evaluations are anticipated to shape future purchasing decisions by the Pentagon.

Ukraine has already inked agreements for drones with several countries in Europe and the Middle East. Additionally, Kyiv has eased some export limitations on arms during wartime, though the authorities maintain strict control over overseas shipments.

The Drone Dominance effort represents a billion-dollar contest organized by the US Department of Defense. It involves small attack drones from numerous producers competing in scenarios that mimic combat conditions. An initial phase was secured by a model developed jointly by Ukraine's Skyfall and the UK's Skycutter.

The DoD revealed in December plans to acquire one billion dollars in small lethal drones through this program over the coming two years.

Given the presence of hundreds of drone manufacturers across the United States, the initiative aims to determine if the industry can produce affordable systems in sufficient quantities and speed to satisfy military needs.