Ukraine has begun cooperation with its allies in several areas, including joint production of drones, to improve the country’s defense capabilities, the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov said following the first day of the 19th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine’s Defense in the Ramstein format.
By ramping up drone production, Ukraine aims to repel the Russian invasion with the help of this modern warfare technology that compensates for the lack of artillery ammunition.
During the 19th Ramstein meeting, Ukraine and its allies discussed the production of artillery shells and drones, as well as the timely delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Rustem Umerov reported.
“Drones. There will be more of them. We are strengthening our cooperation with partners in the field of unmanned systems. Today, the Drone Coalition has officially launched. Eight countries have already joined it: Sweden, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Latvia. I am grateful to Latvia for its leadership,” Rustem Umerov wrote on Facebook.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister confirmed that the Coalition for Integrated Air and Missile Defense has officially started working to boost the Ukrainian air defense capabilities. According to Rustem Umerov, 15 countries have already joined “the air defense coalition.”
“Fruitful negotiations were held within the Coalition of Forces and Means. I am grateful to Germany, France, and the United States for their leadership. Artillery systems and shells are on the agenda. In particular, joint production. We are working on this, and we already have results. F-16. We are on schedule under all agreements with our partners,” Rustem Umerov wrote on Facebook. “Special thanks to the United States and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who chaired the meeting. The support of our partners is unwavering. We are working to drive the Russians from our territories – land, sea and sky,” Rustem Umerov added.
According to Ukraine’s Defense Minister, besides drone and air defense coalitions, 20 countries have officially joined the “mine coalition,” which will help Ukraine demine its territory. Rustem Umerov thanked Lithuania for its leadership in this matter.
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