Two Western countries ready to finance arms production in Ukraine

Oleksandr Kamyshin, Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, has said that two Western countries have agreed to finance the production of weapons by the Ukrainian defence industry. 

Kamyshin said at the EU-Ukraine Defence Industries Forum that his main task at the forum was to get funding for arms production in Ukraine, "because we already have the capacity [to produce it]." 

"We have additional non-contracted capabilities, and we want to use European funds for it," the minister explained.

"We have an initiative we call Zbroiari [Armourers], and under this initiative, the first two countries have already agreed to finance production in Ukraine. These are Denmark and Canada. We are looking for additional funds today to produce more in Ukraine," Kamyshin added.

Specifying what non-contracted capabilities he was referring to, Kamyshin said: "From armoured vehicles to unmanned aerial and ground-based systems."

"Today, all these things can be produced in Ukraine in larger volumes. This is the fastest and most correct way to help our Defence Forces," the minister said. 

At the forum on Monday, EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell expressed his belief that EU countries could buy weapons for Ukraine from Ukrainian defence companies and quickly transfer them to Kyiv for military support.

Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market, has said that the EU has started work on opening a Defence Innovation Office in Kyiv.