Every Sunday, a group of people gather in Brussels, bound by the same mission: helping Ukraine to fight off the Russian invasion.
In a secret location in the Belgian capital, Belgians, European expats and Ukrainians who fled the war get together to assemble drones.
“I think it is important for us, Western Europeans, to understand that it is not just Ukraine that is under attack, but also Europe and the European way of life,” Frederik, a volunteer from Belgium, told The Brussels Times.
Frederik recently joined the weekly drone assembling workshop in Brussels, organised by a Luxembourg-based NGO, Wings for Europe. With the help of volunteers, Wings for Europe produces, tests and certifies commercial drones and donates them to Ukraine's armed forces, who then can adapt them to meet their strategic needs.
“This is a good way to be involved in something that is a part of our future, whether we like it or not. Like in the science fiction horror of the 2010s, you could perfectly imagine a book or a film about a dystopian war where drones are everything, and that is now a reality. Spending a few hours every Sunday of the year, you will make quite a difference,” Frederik said.
Belgians and expats join Wings for Europe(WfE) NGO, assembling drones for Ukraine in Brussels. Credit: The Brussels Times / Vicente Torre Hovelson
“You do feel like you are actually helping with something tangible,” said Daryna, who is from Kharkiv, Ukraine, but has been living in Belgium for the last 15 years. She joined Wings for Europe last summer.
“I have volunteered with different organisations, making nets [used at the frontlines to protect from drones], helping with deliveries, and sending stuff for soldiers. We are also constantly collecting money to buy whatever is needed there – for instance, generators. But you don't actually see the results of your efforts, which leaves you with this survivor's guilt.”
"By making drones, you actually see something tangible and real that helps people in Ukraine. That brings satisfaction of helping with pragmatic solutions," Daryna said.
A European initiative
Wings for Europe was registered as an NGO in Luxembourg in 2023, but today the workshops operate throughout Europe, with volunteers from many different countries. "We have Ukrainians here, but this is not a Ukrainian initiative," explained Kotryna Vilnonyte, President of Wings for Europe. "This is a European initiative, so we encourage Europeans to do more for Ukraine."
Ukrainian drones can be adapted to specific strategic needs. One drone costs €350 to make. With instructions, newcomers can assemble a drone in around eight hours. Experienced volunteers need three to four hours for assembly.
Credit: The Brussels Times / Vicente Torre Hovelson
"We could engage more volunteers, but that always depends on whether we have enough funds to order drone components," Vilnonyte said. "I think more and more Europeans wake up to the fact that we need to do it now."
The organisation only accepts candidates once they pass a "slow and thorough" evaluation process, according to Wings for Europe co-founder Bartas Trakymas.
He said Wings for Europe was inspired by Ukrainian civilians, who have demonstrated “tremendous resolve” in supporting the war effort, "producing whatever they could at home" on their balconies. "We thought we could do something empowering with the same approach", he explained.
According to Trakymas, there is a "harmful narrative" in Europe that drones are not worth investing in because the technology evolves so fast that drones become obsolete within a month. “We are also trying to make a difference by talking to politicians and decision makers," he said.
The initiative runs mainly on private donations from Europeans – Wings for Europe's 'angels'. “Those are the people who understand that if Ukraine cannot defend itself, Russia will not be stopped. It will continue. And then Belgian, or French, or German sons and daughters will get into the next fight,” said Trakymas.
