Ukraine is transitioning from receiving donor assistance to an industrial partnership on equal terms and is open to practical forms of cooperation, including joint research and development, localisation of manufacturing, the establishment of joint ventures, and testing new solutions under real combat conditions.
Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk made this statement during a meeting with representatives of the Federal Government of Germany and defence industry companies that are members of the Federation of German Industries (BDI).
“We are not looking for suppliers — we are looking for partners. Speed, scale, and efficiency are our priorities. Ukraine stands ready to co-invest, open its market, and rapidly integrate solutions into operational practice,” said Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk.
During the talks, the parties discussed three key areas: transitioning to a model of joint production and joint development, cooperation in defence-related space technologies, and expanding data exchange between Ukraine and NATO member states, particularly in the use of unmanned systems on the battlefield.
From donor assistance to joint defence production
Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk outlined a shift in the model of cooperation: Ukraine is ready to build comprehensive industrial cooperation based on joint production and development. At the state level, approaches have already been agreed that will allow Ukrainian manufacturers to enter foreign markets in partnership with international companies.
The Deputy Minister outlined the priority areas of defence-industrial cooperation:
- air defence, including cost-effective solutions for intercepting drones, as well as munitions for Patriot and NASAMS systems;
- unmanned systems and counter-drone capabilities, with an emphasis on localisation of production in Ukraine;
- long-range capabilities;
- maritime unmanned systems (MUS);
- data- and AI-driven solutions to support battlefield decision-making.
The key requirement for partners is the ability to rapidly transition from prototypes to serial production while maintaining stable output volumes and lowering production costs.
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Expanding cooperation: from data exchange to joint space technologies
Deputy Head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine, Volodymyr Mikheyev, raised for discussion the development of the space domain for defence purposes, including remote sensing, satellite communications, navigation, and space-based intelligence.
He emphasised that since the onset of the full-scale invasion, the Agency has focused on the use of space technologies for security and defence needs. The objectives include developing Ukraine’s own satellite constellation, ensuring independent space-based monitoring, and participating in European navigation programmes.
Another topic of the talks focused on data exchange between Ukraine and NATO member states regarding the use of advanced technologies, particularly unmanned systems on the battlefield. The participants reaffirmed their interest in expanding such cooperation and agreed to work on specific formats for further implementation.
The foreign delegation, brought together with the support of the German-Ukrainian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Ukraine), included representatives of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Federal Ministry of Defence, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, as well as leading companies, including Airbus Defence and Space, Daimler Truck AG, Diehl Defence, FFG Flensburger Fahrzeugbau, DEUTZ AG, Helsing, ARX Robotics, Planet Labs, and others.
Representing the Ukrainian side were officials from the Main Directorate for Missile Program Support, the Department for Strategic Development of the Defence Industry, the Space Policy Directorate in the Defence Sector, the Department for International Defence Cooperation, and the State Space Agency of Ukraine.
The German-Ukrainian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Ukraine) brings together companies with an existing or planned business presence in Ukraine, particularly in the defence industry sector.
