Ukraine will begin allowing exports of domestically produced weapons under a new regulated system focused on cooperation with partner countries, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 28 April.
The move follows months of internal work on how to manage Ukraine’s rapidly expanding defense production. Officials have been developing a framework focused on exporting only surplus capacity while keeping priority supply for the Armed Forces, alongside building structured cooperation with trusted partner countries through joint production and technology exchange.
Zelenskyy said all institutional details have been approved and that Ukrainian weapons and battlefield-tested technologies are already drawing strong interest from international partners.
“Drone Deals” model for cooperation
Ukraine has proposed a new format called “Drone Deals”, covering production and supply of drones, missiles, ammunition, military software, and integration with partner defense systems, Zelenskyy said.
The model also includes technology exchange and joint production schemes aimed at expanding industrial cooperation between Ukraine and allied states.
Exports limited to surplus production
Zelenskyy stressed that exports will only cover surplus capacity – what Ukrainian industry can produce beyond domestic military needs.
He said Ukraine’s Defense Forces will retain priority access to all required systems, with production levels and demand determined by the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff.
According to Zelenskyy, some weapons categories currently show up to 50% excess production capacity, driven by state investment and international cooperation.
Strict controls and security screening
The president said export processes will be coordinated by the National Security and Defense Council, which will oversee approvals and ensure sensitive technologies do not reach Russia or its partners.
He also instructed the Foreign Ministry, intelligence services, and the Security Service of Ukraine to define which countries will be excluded from exports due to ties with the aggressor state.
Bureaucracy reduced, oversight maintained
Zelenskyy said Ukraine will simplify export procedures for companies while maintaining strict control mechanisms and security review.
He added that automatic permitting systems will be introduced for businesses, allowing faster access to partner markets under state supervision.
Officials are expected to present further details of the export system publicly in the coming period.
