Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the creation of a defense industry alliance at a forum with representatives of international defense companies in Kiev. The association is based on a statement signed so far by thirteen weapons manufacturers, he said on social networks.
Other arms companies could join, explains Zelensky, who wants to make Ukraine one of the largest arms producers in the world. It is an alliance committed to international law and the defense of the free world, the president said.
“I am not talking only about Ukraine, but about the security against aggression of every country in the world,” he emphasized in a speech to arms manufacturers. Accordingly, 252 companies from more than 30 countries participated in the defense industry forum.
Wants to build a modern defense industry
The priority is the development of a modern defense industry in Ukraine, Zelensky said. The aim is to produce rockets, drones and artillery shells in collaboration with leading companies.
“Ukraine is ready to offer special conditions to companies that want to develop the defense industry together with our country,” Zelensky said in Telegram. The alliance members must work with Ukraine to build up an arsenal of weapons.
The country is on the verge of becoming a major arms producer
The country, which until now has mainly been supplied with weapons by the West to defend against the Russian war of aggression, wants to produce the majority of the weapons itself in the future. For this purpose, Ukraine will set up a special defense fund to create additional economic resources in addition to state defense spending, Zelensky explained.
“The fund will be replenished with dividends from state defense assets and profits from the sale of confiscated Russian assets,” Zelensky said. Arms companies from Germany, the US, Great Britain, France, Turkey, Sweden, the Czech Republic and from Asian countries and Australia were also represented at the forum in Kiev. The arms alliance is also seen as Ukraine’s answer to Russia’s war goal of demilitarizing the country.
Source: Krone
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