Ukrainian defense technologies are already in demand globally and are becoming a source of innovative solutions, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said during a speech at the Hannover Messe trade fair, Ukrinform reports.
Ukraine as a source of innovation
The minister stressed that Ukrainian developments are currently sought after around the world as innovative solutions.
"We must also keep these developments in sight," the head of Germany's Defense Ministry said.
According to Pistorius, Ukrainian strength is demonstrated not only on the battlefield and through the professionalism of Ukrainian troops, but also lies in the country's high innovative potential, "which is achieving impressive successes and rapid progress in the development of new technologies in the defense sector."
The German minister underlined that this experience should be taken into account by partners, adding that cooperation with Ukraine contributes to the development of industrial capacities and technological innovation in Germany.
Context: the Rheinmetall controversy
Pistorius's remarks follow a recent scandal sparked by comments from Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger, who claimed there was no innovation in Ukrainian drone production and compared it to playing with Lego.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the Rheinmetall chief's words strange, saying that competition should not be waged through rhetoric.
After the backlash, Rheinmetall stated that it respects Ukrainian efforts to defend against the Russian invasion, particularly given the constraints of limited resources.
