President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine has expressed his desire to transform the country’s defense industry into a major military hub by partnering with Western weapons manufacturers to enhance arms supplies for Kyiv’s counteroffensive against Russia. This announcement came during a forum convened by the Ukrainian government with international producers to discuss collaborative efforts in developing industrial capacity for weapon building and repair in Ukraine, despite continued Russian bombardment.
During the forum in Kyiv, Zelenskiy emphasized the importance of advancing without retreat, stating that Ukraine requires daily results from the frontline. He stated, “We are interested in localizing production of equipment needed for our defense and each of those advanced defense systems which are used by our soldiers, giving Ukraine the best results at the front today.” Priority areas for development include air defense and de-mining, as well as domestic production of missiles, drones, and artillery ammunition.
In early June, Kyiv initiated its counteroffensive to reclaim territories under Russian control. While progress has been made with the liberation of over a dozen villages, major cities remain under Russian control. Ukraine heavily relies on Western financial and military support, having received significant assistance since the onset of Russia’s invasion in February 2022. However, the ongoing war has created an escalating demand for arms and ammunition.
Representatives from more than 250 Western weapons producers attended the forum, with some expressing challenges in meeting Ukrainian demand due to depleting stocks and difficulties in finding supplies. Ukrainian officials view the development of domestic defense production as crucial for boosting the economy, which experienced a one-third contraction last year due to the war.
Multiple prominent Western producers, including Germany’s Rheinmetall and Britain-based BAE Systems, have already announced plans to collaborate with Ukrainian producers. Additionally, Ukrainian producers have entered into approximately 20 agreements with foreign partners for joint production, technology exchange, and supply of components for drones, armored vehicles, and ammunition. The Foreign Ministry has not disclosed the identities of these companies.
The Ukrainian government intends to establish special economic conditions to attract Western investment to the domestic defense sector, including the creation of a fund to support technology development. Zelenskiy expressed optimism about the potential for a mutually beneficial partnership during a separate meeting with weapons producers from the United States, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Germany, France, Sweden, and Turkey.
Reporting by Olena Harmash, Editing by William Maclean
Credit: The Star : News Feed
