Shmyhal and von der Leyen discussed cooperation in defense industry and situation on border with Poland

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen discussed cooperation in the defense industry and coordinated the next steps within the Ukraine Facility initiative.

The head of government announced this on Facebook following the bilateral meeting, Ukrinform reports.

"We talked about our cooperation in the defense industry and coordinated the next steps within the Ukraine Facility initiative, which provides funding of EUR 50 billion for 4 years. Ms. Ursula said that the first tranche of EUR 4.5 billion will be disbursed in March," Shmyhal said.

He added that he had also discussed the situation on the Ukrainian-Polish border with his interlocutor.

"I presented the Ukrainian "Plan of Understanding" to resolve this crisis. We are counting on a constructive trilateral dialogue," the Prime Minister said.

Read also: EU’s von der Leyen arrives in Kyiv

He also thanked Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission for "the extraordinary level of support for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion."

As reported, the Prime Ministers of Italy, Canada and Belgium, George Meloni, Justin Trudeau, Alexander De Croo, as well as the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Kyiv on February 24 to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine on the second anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion.

Photo: CMU