Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov and Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin held a coordination meeting on August 15 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the major Defence Industries Forum to be held in autumn.
The ministers discussed the main parameters of the event, which would bring together leading Ukrainian and foreign defence companies and government representatives to establish large-scale cooperation.
The forum aims to bring together Ukrainian and foreign manufacturers to strengthen the long-term and systematic defence capabilities of Ukraine, exchange technologies, establish joint production, systematic maintenance and repair of equipment and enhance the defence potential of both Ukraine and its partners on the basis of NATO-standard technologies and weapons.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Strategic Industries are working together to develop Ukraine’s defence self-sufficiency. This goal requires not only the supply, but also the design, development and production of modern weapons – right here in Ukraine. It also means repairing, refitting and modernising Western weapons.
Ukraine has unique expertise and technologies, but needs the experience and resources of partners to scale and develop them. The first Defence Industries Forum will be a platform where the world’s largest arms manufacturers, together with the military and political leadership of Ukraine and partner countries, will develop new alliances and strategies to support international security and launch joint projects.
Following the meeting, the ministers signed a joint letter to partner countries and foreign defence companies inviting them to participate in the forum and outlining a joint action plan for organising the event. (Government portal/Business World Magazine)