Ukraine will open arms market to private companies

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine is preparing a decision that will greenlight direct export and import to all arms producers regardless of the form of ownership.

"Over 50% of the state order is fulfilled by private companies. Moreover, I want to announce that the National Security and Defense Council is preparing a decision on liberalization of the foreign economic activity. We plan to make this decision in the near future. It will allow direct export to all manufacturers of military equipment and weapons, regardless of whether they belong to the public sector or private. We will allow imports without restrictions for producers regardless of their form of ownership for the own needs and production of military equipment and weapons," NSDC Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov said during the IX National Expert Forum in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Turchynov added that all the restrictions on direct contracts on purchase of weapons abroad for the domestic security agencies would also be lifted in case of need.

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