First contracts for arms exports from Ukraine expected no earlier than second half of 2026 – Umerov
According to an Ukrinform correspondent, Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Rustem Umerov and Presidential Advisor on Strategic Issues Oleksandr Kamyshin said this at a meeting with journalists dedicated to the resumption of arms exports from Ukraine.
"The defense export market is inertial: the first real contracts are expected no earlier than the second half of 2026," Umerov said.
According to him, this is a normal cycle, as time is needed for testing, certification, and procurement procedures by partners.
As noted during the meeting, the possibility of entering the export market is opening up for the entire defense industry. However, out of more than 1,000 defense companies currently operating in Ukraine, less than half are ready to undergo the necessary technical procedures and obtain export licenses.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier announced that Ukraine was opening two offices this year for the sale of surplus weapons produced within co-production agreements.
