Ukrainian authorities will do all to develop shipbuilding in Mykolaiv - Zelensky

The contract for the purchase of 20 patrol boats from France is very important to Ukraine, but the authorities will do everything to ensure that shipbuilding develops in Mykolaiv as well, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

He said this during his visit to Ochakiv in the Mykolaiv region in the early hours of November 21, when asked why this contract is not implemented at Mykolaiv-based factories that are idle, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"This contract for the construction of patrol ships in France is important to us. It was developed before my presidency, but I support it. After all, a large part of the order will be implemented at Ukrainian factories. We proceeding from how much we can do now. But in any case, it is important for us to support domestic shipbuilding, in particular, Mykolaiv factories, and to make sure that people, who went abroad for work because nothing was built here, come back here," Zelensky said.

He also noted that it was planned to construct a corvette in Mykolaiv. However, when asked by journalists when exactly this could be done, he said there are no specific dates at this time.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has recently agreed on the purchase of 20 OCEA patrol vessels from France for the needs of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service. The contract is estimated to be worth EUR 136.5 million.

op