Ukraine and Belgium have signed a memorandum aimed at giving impetus to the development of bilateral relations, particularly in the defense manufacturing sector.
Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has disclosed this information. The memorandum outlines intentions to implement joint projects aimed at boosting the potential and production volumes of the Ukrainian defense industry, stated Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine. He emphasized the significance of this collaboration in the context of developing the domestic defense industry, establishing joint ventures with partners, and localizing defense production in Ukraine, which are among the country's priorities.
According to Havryliuk, the plans involve joint production of specific types and categories of weapons, as well as the organization of repairs and the training of specialists and technical personnel.
Moreover, the press release mentions the implementation of other measures aimed at developing Ukraine's modern defense industry.
"Ukraine is very interested in creating joint ventures that will operate according to international standards. I am confident in our further fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation," Havryliuk noted.
Last week, a Belgian-Ukrainian defense industry seminar took place. The event was organized by the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Ukraine.
Representatives from 33 Ukrainian companies and 8 Belgian companies, as well as the Belgian Security and Defense Industry Association (BSDI), and representatives from the governmental defense and security sectors of both countries participated in the seminar. The seminar aimed to expand military-technical cooperation between Ukraine and Belgium and strengthen the partnership between the Belgian and Ukrainian defense industries.