New Zealand Labour Party rejects Ukraine drone development offer

The New Zealand Labour Party has declined an offer from Ukraine to assist in the development of military drones. Defence spokesperson Damien O’Connor stated that the party would not engage with the proposal at this time, though he noted that Labour would seek official advice regarding the risks, costs, and benefits of such technology. O’Connor added that while the party would not support the purchase of lethal autonomous weapons and would support international efforts to ban them, they would evaluate the specific content of the proposals.

O’Connor also expressed skepticism regarding the current government’s $12 billion defence capability upgrade plan, criticizing the previous administration for its scale and questioning the availability of funding. Meanwhile, National Party official Paul Goldsmith indicated that government officials are currently considering the drone opportunities raised by Ukraine to determine how they might support defence priorities and New Zealand’s broader support for the nation.