During his visit to Brussels, Ukraine's Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov held talks with Australia's Minister for Defence Industry and Capability, Pat Conroy.
The Ukrainian minister expressed gratitude to the Australian side for their support in Ukraine's fight for freedom, particularly for the announced transfer of 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks.
The main topic of the meeting was economic cooperation.
“We discussed the possibility of establishing joint factories for the most effective use of Ukraine's resource potential,” Umerov reported.
The Minister of Defense presented options for Australian investment in Ukraine's defense production.
“I invited Australian companies to jointly finance the production of drones, electronic warfare systems, and robotic systems,” Umerov noted.
The negotiations also outlined the main needs of the Ukrainian army, including weapons and equipment for brigades on the battlefield and in reserve, as well as long-range weaponry to strike military targets in Russia.
“I proposed that Australia, following the example of France and Germany, take patronage over one of our brigades. In particular, to assist with training and equipping our fighters,” added the Ukrainian Minister of Defense.
