Ukraine’s defense industry is moving from receiving Western aid to joint production.

The Minister of Strategic Industry of Ukraine noted that the path of the Ukrainian defense industry, in general, is integration with Western partners into their production ecosystem. Ukraine is developing cooperation in two basic directions – the EU and NATO countries.

“We are becoming full-fledged partners for them. We are moving from asking for help to developing joint business,” he noted.

He added that Ukraine has already started implementing projects and initiatives with individual countries and is building various projects on partnership terms and other forms of cooperation.

Jens Stoltenberg stated that increasing NATO cooperation with Ukraine in the defense industry will involve Western companies bringing capital and knowledge to Ukraine, and in return, Ukrainians will transfer their combat experience and ingenuity to the Alliance.

Meanwhile, the strategic arms manufacturer and state concern Ukroboronprom opened a representative office in Washington to deepen the cooperation between the US and Ukrainian defense complexes.