The British plan to produce weapons on Ukrainian soil

London

After sending numerous anti-tank missiles and other weapons from their island, the British will now consider weapons directly on Ukrainian soil. A move that would be part of long-term support for Kiev that London is committed to, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Downing Street last week.

Agreed Telegram:High-ranking officials of the British defense industry are already discussing with the Kiev government the possibility of producing weapons and military vehicles there. British emissaries have already traveled there to explore the creation of joint ventures that would produce the materials under license.

According to the newspaper, other European arms companies will also discuss this with Ukraine. And the British would not want to leave the field open to French and German competitors. The race is on to place the UKat the head of the line“, the industry actor announced Telegram:. Downing Street and the Ministry of Defense declined to comment, saying the matter was a matter for industry. However, it is difficult to see how such cooperation, if it develops, can happen without a political green light.

Support for Kiev is growing

The news comes as Rishi Sunak has vowed to step up his support for Kyiv. “London will especially train fighter pilots.”In accordance with NATO standards“. And the prime minister opened the door for the delivery of fighter jets, which is Zelensky’s great demand now. Sunak asked the British Army to look into the possible supply of aircraft, stressing that this solution is only possible “long term“.

At a seminar in London organized by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), an executive at Ukroboronprom, the state-owned arms conglomerate, said the company was keen to do business with Western companies. On Ukrainian soil, these joint ventures will make it possible to reduce Kiev’s dependence on Western supplies and financing. Over time, Ukraine’s high demand for weapons and ammunition has Western armies fearing that their arsenals will run dry. Adapting Ukrainian factories to Western standards will take a lot of effort, but the country has a tradition of defense industry. During the Soviet era, the city of Dnipro was thus a center of excellence in space technology and intercontinental ballistic missile design.

Experts, however, note that such weapons factories will be considered by Russia as a provocation and will become Moscow’s main target.