The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, advocated this Monday for using European funds to boost military manufacturing in Ukraine, within the framework of the Russian invasion ordered by Vladimir Putin in February 2022.
In statements before the EU-Ukraine Defense Industries Forum being held in Brussels, the head of European diplomacy has asked to study how to use European funds to increase Ukraine’s arms production on its own territory in what would be another step to integrate the Ukrainian military sector in the European ecosystem.
“It is important that it can be manufactured in Ukraine by Ukrainian companies supported by European firms,” he defended, ensuring that in this way production times would be accelerated, transportation costs would be saved and it would be manufactured more in line with the specific needs of Ukraine. on the battlefield.
To this end, Borrell has reiterated that the EU can use the European Peace Mechanism, an instrument with which the 27 have subsidized the supply of weapons to kyiv. “Ukraine is a country at war. Industries have to understand that it is an opportunity and a risk but that there is European financing,” he explained.
This Monday’s conference in Brussels brings together 140 European and Ukrainian arms companies with the aim of generating links and facilitating cooperation to increase manufacturing in Ukraine, particularly of priority resources such as air defense, ammunition, missiles and drones.
Before the meeting, the Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industry, Oleksandr Kamyshin, stated that the short-term objective of this forum is to have more funds to produce weapons in Ukraine. “It is the fastest way we can help the front,” he indicated, noting that the Ukrainian military sector has proven to be “capable, competitive and adjusted to European capabilities.” “We do not compete but we can produce weapons that work and have been tested on the battlefield,” he stated.
Last March, the European Commission presented its Defense industrial strategy with which it wants that by 2030, 50 percent of the military acquisitions of the 27 are of European equipment and 40 percent of the purchases are joint, a ‘ roadmap’ that also provides for a budget line to boost the Ukrainian Defense industry.