The claim is an expert/qualitative assessment rather than an official statistical measure; no international body publishes a formal 'world leader in drone technology' ranking.
The leadership claim refers specifically to military/battlefield drone technology and production. In commercial/civilian drones, China (e.g., DJI) remains the largest manufacturer globally.
All supporting sources are secondary (news outlets and think tanks, largely drawing on Bloomberg reporting from 11 November 2025); no primary official statistic exists for this metric.
The MEP's full sentence also asserted Ukraine has 'the strongest army in Europe', which is a separate, more contestable claim not covered by the sources gathered here.
Sources
AcademicChatham HouseAnalysis (March 2025) 'What Ukraine can teach Europe and the world about innovation in modern warfare': 'Drones have become one of Ukraine's most powerful tools in countering Russia's superior numbers and resources.'
SecondaryArmy RecognitionArticle titled 'Ukraine Emerges as World Leader in Drone Technology Driven by Battle-Proven Innovation'. 'According to Bloomberg on November 11, 2025, Ukraine is now producing around 4 million drones per year, more than any NATO country and likely more than all NATO countries combined.'
SecondaryBloombergFeature 'Ukrainian Drone Industry's Next Target Is NATO Markets' (11 November 2025) reporting that Ukraine produces about 4 million drones a year, probably more than all NATO countries combined, and is expanding into international markets.
SecondaryJamestown FoundationArticle 'Ukraine Leads World in Drone Innovation and Production': 'Ukraine's production of two million drones a year is higher than any NATO member, including the United States or Russia, with the capacity to build four million.'
SecondaryUkrainska PravdaNews item (12 November 2025): 'Ukraine has become a "drone superpower", meeting the needs of the front line and expanding its presence on international markets', citing Bloomberg data on production of about 4 million drones per year.
SecondaryCouncil on Foreign Relations (CFR)Analysis 'How Ukraine's Drone Innovation Reversed Russia's Momentum' describing how Ukrainian drone innovation (scaling up operations, reducing reliance on Chinese components from nearly all in year one to around 38% by 2025) reversed Russian momentum on the battlefield.
SecondaryAtlantic CouncilArticle 'Drone superpower Ukraine is now Europe's first line of defense': 'Ukraine's innovative use of drones has been the single most striking aspect of the country's military transformation.'