On a grey, drizzly Sunday in Brussels, when few would choose to venture outside, several dozen men and women of various ages make their way to a meeting point in the city centre. They are not merely showing solidarity with Ukraine through chants and banners – the volunteers of Wings for Europe have spent years collecting and assembling drones for Ukrainian forces, and their work is attracting growing attention across the continent.
"It's a bit like assembling IKEA furniture," was how Flemish public broadcaster VRT described the initiative. The Brussels Times wrote of "ordinary people helping Ukraine fight from a secret location in Brussels." The organisation has since been covered by Radio Free Europe, PBS in the United States, and numerous outlets across France, Luxembourg and beyond.
Wings for Europe is a volunteer network operating across several European countries. One of its founders, Bartas Trakymas, spoke to LRT from Brussels about the initiative's growth – and its frustrations.
"In Lithuania, no one needs to be convinced or reminded that everything possible must be done to stop the evil where it is now – to prevent the war from spreading further into Europe and to allow Ukrainians to live in peace. In the rest of Europe, that turning point is only arriving now, and we are doing our best to hasten it," he said.
From ten drones to a continent-wide network
The idea emerged more than two years ago, during a period that Trakymas says felt much like the present – Ukraine's energy infrastructure under bombardment, ammunition running low, American aid stalled, and European stocks largely exhausted.
"The Ukrainians, thankfully, had a functioning drone production ecosystem – around 200 companies involved, with people, businesses and mid-level military figures working together. But we realised that if Ukraine's energy grid collapsed, they would lose even that capability. That's when we decided something had to be done."
There was nothing comparable in Europe. The founders set out to replicate what the Ukrainians had built – a grassroots network producing drones on European soil.
"We started with about ten to fifteen people. We made one drone, then ten. The numbers kept growing. Two years on, we have a serious, Europe-wide organisation."
Wings for Europe now has well over a hundred active volunteers. The largest hub is in Brussels, with a strong group in Luxembourg and new branches opening in Antwerp and Ghent. There are volunteers in three major German cities, and a Lithuanian chapter is in the works. Poland and Denmark are under consideration.
The China problem no one talks about
Asked about the biggest challenges, Trakymas is candid. Finding the right people matters – not just assemblers, but those with skills in social media, marketing, logistics and video production. But there is a deeper structural problem.
"The biggest issue, and one that rarely gets discussed, is that the vast majority of drone components come from China [...] Today, China accounts for roughly 80-90% of the global market for drone parts and finished drones. Europe is very far behind."
The root cause, he argues, is the absence of state-level demand. "If governments and militaries were placing orders for European-made components, competition would emerge naturally and companies would start producing,” he said. “Right now, that simply isn't happening."
In over two years of operation, Wings for Europe has not found a single European manufacturer producing propellers for the drones they assemble.
He is equally dismissive of a widely repeated argument that drone technology evolves too rapidly for meaningful investment.
"That is simply not true. We have been building drones for two years and are still using almost exactly the same components as when we started. The propellers, motors, frames, flight controllers, video and radio transmitters – none of it has changed fundamentally. There is no revolution happening. You just have to get on with it."
The one piece of good news on this front: Wings for Europe has just signed an agreement with the only European company producing drone motors. "Their motors are actually slightly better than the Chinese equivalents. But without more orders and investment, the industry won't develop."
€350 drone against a €1 million missile
The organisation maintains direct contact with multiple Ukrainian brigades and works closely with engineers in Ukraine who advise on emerging trends.
"They tell us that each drone saves ten lives. We think even one is enough. For €350 in components – with volunteers donating their time, tools and workspace entirely for free – we send something that allows a Ukrainian soldier to achieve an enormous effect without risking his own life."
The contrast with conventional weaponry is stark. "A Western missile takes years to produce and costs at least a million euros. An artillery shell cost seven thousand euros at peak demand. Our drone costs €350. These can be produced in the millions, quickly and cheaply."
The initiative's newest project is an interceptor drone designed to hunt Shahed attack drones. "It has already successfully brought down a Shahed worth many times more than our drone. And it uses almost all the same components as our FPV drones."
'Europe hasn't woken up yet'
International media attention has brought its own recurring question. "The most common one is: what missions are these drones used for? It's obvious what's behind the question. Unlike in Lithuania or Eastern Europe, pacifism is deeply ingrained here in Western Europe. Many people think the most they can do is send candles or socks to Ukraine – that providing something a soldier can actually use to defend himself would be somehow terrible."
His assessment of the broader picture is blunt. "Four years have passed, and Europe has genuinely not yet woken up. That is what we are working to change."
There are signs of progress. Recent meetings have included Belgium's Defence Minister Theo Francken, Luxembourg officials, European Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament. Every person who funds at least one drone receives a print by Lithuanian artist Edita Suchockytė – a woman with dragonfly wings. Senior figures from the European Commission, he notes, have funded considerably more than one.
"We can see attitudes shifting. People are beginning to understand that drones can be produced quickly, cheaply and at scale. If we were to start building aircraft carriers, fighter jets, tanks or artillery systems today, it would take five to ten years to deliver them. Drones can be ready now."
Interestingly, he says the shift has been fastest in the United States, where significant strategic investment was made roughly eighteen months ago.
Some European countries are also moving, motivated not only by security concerns but by the economic opportunity the drone sector represents. "More countries are joining this transformation, but there are still nowhere near enough."
Lithuania, Trakymas believes, could lead by example. "Within three years, we could seriously develop Lithuanian industry and build specialised drone and counter-drone units in the military. We should demonstrate that we are not standing still – and use that to inspire others across Europe."
Lithuania leads the way
Brussels has long been described as the espionage capital of Europe, and Wings for Europe is not immune to unwanted attention. "There are trolls, bots, and other challenges, but we have procedures in place and work closely with local and international authorities to manage them," Trakymas said.
The broader cultural contrast with Lithuania, however, is perhaps the greater obstacle. In Lithuania, companies host drone assembly evenings openly and declare their support without hesitation – tech firm Hostinger among them. In Brussels and Belgium more broadly, organisations remain wary of allowing drones to be assembled on their premises or of being named as official partners.
"We don't yet have a single major international company as a partner. No well-known public figures or influencers backing us. Here, you have to persuade people – and it happens very, very slowly."
His appeal to potential supporters is direct. "Become our angels – that's what we call our donors. Declare publicly that you support this fight for peace. Show it. Post it. Step out of the shadows and into the light."
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