During the first International Defense Industry Forum held in Kyiv, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, participated in a panel discussion titled “Defense Industry in the Face of Aggression,” along with the Head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, the Minister of Strategic Industries, Oleksandr Kamysin, and the Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov.
The head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude for the presence of representatives from 252 leading defense companies from over 30 countries in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia at the first International Defense Industry Forum in Ukraine.
The Minister noted that during the full-scale Russian invasion, every negotiation started with the topic of weapons. However, while initially discussing the supply of foreign weapons to Ukraine, from late last year, the Ukrainian side began to seriously talk about repairs within Ukraine and later about joint production. According to him, this topic is now present in almost all negotiations.
“I want every company represented here to know that when Ukraine talks with partners, we always call on them to create conditions for you to work with Ukraine, to finance the purchase of your weapons and equipment for their armies, so they can supply us from their stocks and strengthen their own armed forces,” he emphasized.
Dmytro Kuleba mentioned that he hears tremendous interest in discussions with partners regarding the experience and manufacturing capabilities of the Ukrainian business: “Ukraine is not just a consumer. It is a full-fledged partner. Just as we benefit from foreign weapons, foreign weapons manufacturers gain unique market advantages through Ukraine to improve their designs and create even more powerful weaponry.”
“At the end of the war, after victory, two things will happen. Firstly, the Ukrainian defense industry will be fully integrated into NATO, just like Ukraine itself. Secondly, weapons produced by Ukrainian and foreign companies will be the most competitive in the world,” he stated.
The Minister also emphasized the growing interest of partners in many regions of the world in Ukrainian weapons, joint production, and the development of mutually beneficial projects.
