Kiev:
Ukraine and Britain have signed a framework agreement to cooperate in the defense and arms production sectors, officials in Kiev said, as part of a war effort to build Ukraine's domestic arms industry by working with allies.
The document was signed at a military industry conference in Kiev, attended by around 30 British defense companies visiting to discuss possible joint ventures with Ukrainian arms and defense manufacturers.
“It is the first intergovernmental agreement on cooperation,” Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukraine's Minister of Strategic Industry, told reporters after the signing ceremony.
“Today, British companies are working with Ukrainian companies and looking for opportunities to jointly produce more weapons.”
Greg Hands, Britain's trade policy secretary, said he hoped the deal would bring gains to Ukraine on the battlefield and also benefit its battered economy in the longer term.
More than two years since the Russian invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian forces have been outgunned and outmaneuvered on the battlefield by a better-equipped and outnumbered enemy.
Amid growing concerns that military support from Kiev's Western partners is faltering, the Ukrainian government is stepping up efforts to produce its own weapons and entice major Western manufacturers to set up repair and production facilities in Ukraine, despite the threat of Russian bombings.
British defense company BAE Systems, one of the first Western manufacturers to establish a local entity in Ukraine, has signed an agreement with the British Ministry of Defense to carry out maintenance, repair and overhaul of ground-based light weapons in Ukraine.
Officials also said they hoped for more projects in the drone manufacturing sector this year. Many of the companies attending the conference were drone manufacturers.
Ukraine aims to produce around 1 million first-person view (FPV) drones this year and is increasing production of longer-range drones to carry out attacks deep inside Russia.
“We now recognize that we must work with the Ukrainian defense industry to position the Ukrainian defense industry to be better able to respond quickly and support the Ukrainian economy…,” said Andy Start, Chief Executive of the British Defence. Equipment and support.
“Momentum is building and we want to continue to build that momentum at a rapid pace so that we are stronger together.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Our staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)