Ukrainian high-ranking ministers discuss joint weaponry production with U.S. special envoy
U.S. Special Representative Penny Pritzker and the heads of Ukraine's Ministries of Defense and Strategic Industries, Rustem Umerov and Oleksandr Kamyshin (t.me/ministry_of_defense_ua)
The Ministers of Defense and Strategic Industries of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov and Oleksandr Kamyshin, met in Washington with the U.S. Special Representative for Economic Recovery in Ukraine, Penny Pritzker, to discuss joint production of weaponry and equipment, according to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense emphasized the importance of creating opportunities to involve American industrial businesses.
"We plan to establish joint production of weapons and equipment. We are working on it," stated Umerov.
The Ministry leader also highlighted direct procurements from American companies as another priority.
"It's critically important to provide our soldiers with necessary weapons, particularly ammunition. Air defense is a crucial focus. We are enhancing our capabilities," he added.
The Ministry of Defense noted that establishing a defense industry commensurate with the scale of industrial capacities of adversaries is a matter of national security for Ukraine.
According to Umerov, the Ministry is establishing and launching a Defense Fund that will "become a direct partner of American companies in creating joint productions and products."
Earlier reports indicated that during the American-Ukrainian conference, the U.S. announced the transfer of technology and joint weapon production with Ukraine. The focus will be on manufacturing hybrid air defense systems.
Visit of the Ukrainian Delegation to the U.S.
It was previously announced that the Ukrainian delegation, led by the Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, arrived in the U.S. The Ukrainian delegation held meetings with legislators, officials, and businesses in the United States.
Particularly, the Pentagon stated that the heads of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and the Pentagon, Umerov and Lloyd Austin, held closed-door negotiations.
Additionally, on December 6, a new defense industries forum took place in Washington. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited U.S. defense companies to collaborate with Ukraine.
