On December 15, Ukraine announced that it had signed dozens of agreements to cooperate in the production or exchange of weapons technology with Western partners.
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| Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. (Source: kyivindependent.com) |
The move comes as Kiev seeks to reduce its dependence on Western military supplies and boost domestic production capacity.
Ukraine's efforts to boost domestic production have become crucial as the future of large-scale military aid from the United States and the European Union (EU) becomes uncertain and Western reserves are increasingly depleted.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov confirmed that Kiev has signed dozens of new agreements related to cooperation in the production or exchange of weapons technology.
Umerov cited the defense industry forum held by Kiev in September with the participation of more than 250 Western arms manufacturers and then the Ukraine-US defense conference in Washington in December, noting that Kiev and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on sharing technical data and joint production.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's state-owned arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom said Kiev this week also hosted another conference with the participation of Britain's largest defense manufacturers such as Bacock International Group and BAE Systems.
Kiev is seeking a similar deal with German defense industry company Rheimentaal AG to service and repair Western weapons, as well as a contract with two US companies to jointly produce vital 155mm artillery shells for the Eastern European country's army.
According to the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, the country's domestic defense production has tripled in 2023 and is expected to increase sixfold in 2024.
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