Zelensky: Export of Ukrainian weapons will become reality, all details agreed

According to Ukrinform, President Volodymyr Zelensky said this on Facebook following a meeting on key issues related to arms exports.

“The export of Ukrainian weapons will become a reality – we have approved all the details at the level of our state institutions. Currently, our security expertise and weapons, which have been tested in modern warfare, are of interest to all partners capable of ensuring a real level of protection for their statehood and the lives of their citizens,” Zelensky said.

According to him, the Ukrainian government has proposed to partners who support Ukraine a special format of cooperation called Drone Deals – special agreements covering the production and supply of drones, missiles, ammunition, and other in-demand weapons systems, military equipment, software, integration with partners’ defense systems, as well as the exchange of Ukrainian expertise and necessary technologies.

Zelensky said he had approved the directions for such intergovernmental cooperation and the development of automatic permits for businesses regarding arms exports.

“The algorithm is absolutely clear: at the interstate level, based on the principle of reciprocity, we define the framework for security cooperation through the relevant agreement. Then the process continues at the level of state institutions and manufacturers. We are simplifying bureaucratic procedures, maintaining an adequate level of export control, and launching practical operating mechanisms for companies,” he emphasized.

He also stated that Ukrainian companies will receive real opportunities to enter partner countries’ markets, provided that the Ukrainian military has priority access to the required volumes of weapons.

“A surplus of production capacity in Ukraine for certain types of weapons reaches 50 per cent, and this is a direct result of our state investment in Ukraine’s defense industry and our cooperation with partners,” Zelensky noted.

He instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with intelligence agencies and the Security Service of Ukraine, to identify countries to which Ukrainian arms exports will be prohibited due to their cooperation with the aggressor state.

“This is a serious challenge – to prevent our technologies and weapons from falling into Russian hands. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine will coordinate export processes and act as a guarantor that the needs of Ukraine’s Defense and Security Forces are met first, while only surplus production – what manufacturers can produce beyond the state order in Ukraine – will be exported. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the General Staff will determine the required volumes for the needs of our Defense Forces,” he added.

Zelensky also instructed government officials and the National Security and Defense Council to present detailed information to the public regarding the arms export process.

As reported by Ukrinform, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva said in an interview that in every civilized country, arms exports are regulated by the state, and Ukraine is no exception, especially during wartime.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine