Ukraine, Finland team up to produce weapons and drones
Zelenskyy and Stubb agree on joint production of drones (photo: president.gov.ua)
Ukraine and Finland launch joint production of military equipment and weapons. The countries will produce drones, develop unmanned maritime systems, and establish a facility to manufacture ground robots, according to the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Agreements reached by countries
The relevant cooperation memoranda were signed in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Finnish President Alexander Stubb during a roundtable on defense cooperation.
The documents envisage:
- Developing and manufacturing drones in Finland for the needs of Ukraine and Europe
- Expanding capabilities in the field of unmanned maritime systems
- Establishing a joint venture to manufacture ground robotic systems.
Also, the two sides are finalizing political work on the Drone Deal agreement and expanding cooperation in cyberspace and space.
Representatives of seven leading Finnish companies—Patria, Nokia, Insta, Boomeranger, Nest AI, Sensofusion and ICEYE—arrived in Kyiv for talks.
Leaders' statements
Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the partnership between the two countries has already moved from paper agreements to actual production.
"From the very beginning of this war, you have been with us. And now, as our military and defense sector has grown, we can cooperate, we have started joint production, and we have not just agreements, not just papers—we have real tools, and we already have real results," the Ukrainian president said.
Alexander Stubb, for his part, stressed the mutual benefits of such cooperation in both the short and long term.
"Today Ukraine guarantees the security of all of Europe, and that Ukraine's capabilities to wage modern warfare are the best in Europe, so cooperation between Ukraine and Finland will strengthen both countries," the Finnish leader noted.
Peace plan statements, front-line situation
As previously reported, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine and its international partners have developed three key proposals to end Russia's war, which have been coordinated with the US and European sides.
Alongside diplomatic efforts, Ukraine's Defense Forces continue to hold their positions and regain control of Ukrainian territory. The president previously said Ukraine expects to reach parity with Russia in terms of occupied and liberated territory by the end of the year.
