Germany and Ukraine are consolidating their armaments cooperation

Brussels (dpa) – Germany and Ukraine have agreed on an even closer cooperation of their arms industries, as well as in research and technology development promotion. Upon signing an agreement together with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal at the NATO headquarters on the sidelines of a Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence, the German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that the agreement would further strengthen Ukraine’s defence and deterrence capabilities and enable the Federal Republic of Germany to benefit from Ukraine’s innovative potential. 

A number of arming projects were discussed at the NATO meeting, as well as a drone defence initiative of the European Commission. Mr Pistorius reported that Germany wants to take the lead regarding the envisaged European Air Shield. Planning provides for a multi-step air defence system for protection against all types of threats from the air that is seamlessly compatible with the NATO leadership and control system. 

Mr Pistorius also announced that Germany would be stationing a number of Eurofighter aircraft at the Malbork military airbase in Poland and investing ten billion euros in drones for protecting NATO’s eastern flank.