Ukraine and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint production of military equipment and the exchange of technical data at the Defense Industrial Base Conference in Washington, DC, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Facebook on Dec. 7.
The cooperation will focus on air defense systems, repair and sustainment, and the production of critical munitions.
The minister thanked U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, colleagues from the State Department, and U.S. National Security Council for their proactive and leadership position during the organization of the forum.
e called the dialogue between the Ukrainian and U.S. governments and companies on the localization of production in Ukraine “open and honest.”
The conference discussed the current needs and capabilities of the countries, opportunities for fostering cooperation, investments, and developing joint ventures, Umerov said.
“Together with the Minister of Strategic Industries, Oleksandr Kamyshin, we identified the future development of the Ukrainian defense industry as one of the priorities of our work,” the minister said.
“Next year, we will allocate an unprecedented budget for the development of defense production.”
Umerov added that Ukrainian-made armaments, equipment, and technologies should fill the niche previously occupied by Russia in the global arms market. For this, Ukraine needs a “strong Defense Coalition,” he noted.
Earlier, the U.S. State Department, along with Congress, reportedly planned to send an advisor to Ukraine’s Strategic Industries Ministry.