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including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Spain.
Baltic leaders call for more air defence systems for Ukraine after Russia's latest attack. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics called for more air defence systems for Ukraine following Russia's Jan. 2 large-scale missile attack against the country.
Ukraine is working on joint production of weapons with Sweden,
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He added that Ukraine is cooperating in joint defence projects with Turkey, Romania, Poland, and the UK. At the same time, the government has already reached agreements with the Czech Republic, the US, and Germany. “Joint production with Sweden is a priority for us,” said the president of Ukraine.
A year later, Canada's promised air defence system not yet delivered to Ukraine. The $406 million system would "help Ukraine strengthen its air defence systems against destructive air attacks on military sites, critical civilian infrastructure, and population centers," Canada's defence Ministry said at the time.
US did not track all weapons sent to Ukraine. The report also said that the U.S. defence Department had improved its monitoring capacities in Ukraine and reduced its "overall delinquency rate."
To develop the domestic arms production industry, Ukraine plans to form
five joint ventures with Western arms manufacturers, according to First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko. It is also planned to develop industrial parks; for this purpose, funds have been included in the budget for the first time to reimburse the cost of connecting both existing and new industrial parks.
In 2023 the number of industrial parks in the register reached 70, but "in fact, there are ten operating ones,” she said in January. In general, according to her estimates, the UAH 40bn allocated in the 2024 state budget to support the economy will provide a contribution to its growth at the level of up to 1% of GDP, while in 2023 the total effect of the state program of affordable lending 5-7-9, grants and mortgage programs provided an additional 1.5% of GDP.
Zelensky, French foreign minister discuss joint drone production. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address on Jan. 13 that he discussed Ukraine's defence needs in his meeting with newly-appointed French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné. Zelensky said they discussed joint production of drones and artillery and further strengthening of missile defence systems.
Ukraine has begun to produce artillery systems according to NATO standards. "We are going through the unique experience of transitioning from the standards of the Soviet heritage to NATO standards and have already started producing artillery systems," Minister of Strategic Industry Oleksandr Kamyshin said in Davos. According to him, the need for components that are in short supply will be covered by creating joint ventures with foreign partners. In addition, Ukraine has started assembling hybrid air defence systems, doubled the production of ammunition, and is rapidly developing drone production.
32 UKRAINE Country Report February 2024 www.intellinews.com