Ukraine to build new weapons factories with Ramstein defense partners
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov (Vitalii Nosach, RBK-Ukraine)
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has announced the launch of a new joint weapons production program with international partners — both in Ukraine and in the countries participating in the Ramstein format, according to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
According to him, this will significantly strengthen the country's defense potential.
"We are launching a joint weapons production program with international partners — in Ukraine and in the countries participating in the Ramstein format," the Defense Minister stated.
According to Umerov, Ukraine possesses invaluable experience in modern warfare, as well as effective weapons and equipment that have already been tested on the battlefield. This allows the country to offer a new format of defense-industrial cooperation, in which Ukraine acts as an equal partner on the global arms market.
As part of the initiative, Ukrainian defense enterprises will soon receive a special legal and tax framework that will allow them to modernize and scale up production, as well as build new factories and manufacturing facilities. This includes both domestic capacity and facilities abroad — in countries that are part of the Defense Contact Group.
Weapons produced under this program will be supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine until the end of the war.
In addition, the Ministry of Defense, together with the Parliamentary Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy, has presented a package of four draft laws to defense industry companies. These bills propose changes to tax, customs, and budget legislation, as well as the Criminal Code, and are aimed at developing the sector and increasing the security of production.
According to the minister, the first vote on these changes in the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's Parliament, is scheduled for July. The government is counting on support from members of parliament.
Drone production in Ukraine
Earlier, the French Minister of Defense announced that French automotive and defense companies would begin producing drones in Ukraine. Later, the defense ministers of Ukraine and France discussed plans for joint weapons production.
According to Euronews, citing sources, the automotive company Renault will assist in drone production in Ukraine. The corporation is expected to collaborate with a French defense firm at a location tens or hundreds of kilometers from the front line.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine's defense production potential exceeds $35 billion, but around 40% of that potential currently lacks necessary funding.
