Ukraine and Germany discuss joint air defense and armored vehicle production
Photo: Representatives of the Ministries of Defense of Ukraine and Germany at the forum in Halifax, Canada (mod.gov.ua)
Ukraine and Germany discussed the possibility of deepening cooperation between the two defense companies in the production of air defense systems and armored vehicles, according to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The issue was raised during a meeting between Serhii Boyev, the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine for European Integration, and Nils Hilmer, German State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Defense, at the 16th International Security Forum (Halifax, Canada).
During the conversation, the Ukrainian defense official expressed gratitude to the German side for the Patriot and IRIS-T air defense systems provided.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine emphasized that these systems are critically necessary given the constant Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian settlements.
At the meeting, representatives of the defense ministries of both countries exchanged information on plans for cooperation in the coming year. They discussed which types of weapons could be delivered to Ukraine.
According to Boyev, the possibility of "greater involvement of Germany in supplying heavy armored vehicles to Ukraine" was discussed.
In addition, the Ukrainian official suggested to his German counterpart the idea of "closer cooperation between Ukrainian and German defense companies in the production of air defense systems and armored vehicles."
Germany's assistance to Ukraine
Germany remains one of Ukraine’s key partners in providing defense assistance following the start of Russia's full-scale military aggression.
Earlier, it was reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces received from Germany the IRIS-T and Patriot air defense systems, anti-aircraft and artillery systems, armored vehicles, Leopard tanks of various modifications, drones, ammunition, and other types of weaponry.
Furthermore, since 2022, Ukrainian servicemen have been undergoing training in Germany as part of the training mission.
On November 20, the German government announced that it had prepared a new military aid package for Ukraine. The package includes howitzers, vehicles, and hundreds of drones.
Earlier this month, German media reported that Germany was preparing to provide Ukraine with new technological support amid the war. This involves the supply of 4,000 Mini-Taurus drones with artificial intelligence from the German company Helsing.
