Ukraine to allow arms sales in limited quantities
Kyiv will establish mechanisms for tightly controlled exports of Ukrainian-made weapons, reinvesting the revenue into the domestic defense industry, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Sept. 19.
Speaking after a meeting with senior military and government officials, Zelenskyy said that by lifting the wartime ban on sales of arms, Ukraine can cover funding gaps in its own defense manufacturing.
“Certain types of weapons, including modern systems, we can produce in much larger volumes than we can finance ourselves, and some we already have in surplus,” he said.
Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will prioritize supplying its troops and maintaining equipment stocks before approving any sales to foreign customers.
The export arrangements will be aimed at the United States, European partners, and other countries that have supported Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression, the president said.
“Ukraine will not engage in ‘arms charity’ or help those indifferent to our cause,” he said.
“We are ready to work with those who have truly supported us. There must of course be reliable export controls so that our technology and weapons do not fall into the hands of Russia or its allies.”
The president noted that Ukrainian defense firms have extensive experience producing modern arms and that demand for their technology is rising worldwide. Revenue from controlled exports will be reinvested in further expanding production capacities needed to sustain the Ukrainian military.
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