Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Wednesday said his country sees great opportunities to co-operate with Germany on defence, as he attended a German-Ukrainian business forum in Berlin.
“With Germany, we have the largest joint companies in the defence sector,” Shmyhal said, highlighting projects to repair and maintain tanks, the production of modern infantry fighting vehicles, and air-defence systems.
“We also have projects in the production of anti-tank missiles and anti-tank mines,” he said.
Shmyhal said the Ukrainian defence industry, which is growing rapidly due to the Russian invasion, already employs more than 300,000 people in around 800 companies.
“Our defence production is picking up speed and will already be worth around $30 billion by 2024,” he added.
The prime minister expressed his gratitude that not a single German company left the Ukrainian market after the start of the war in 2022.
In terms of his country’s economic potential, he also emphasized the reserves of rare earths and metals as well as large storage capacities for natural gas.
“We have the largest underground gas storage facilities in Europe, with over 30 billion cubic metres, which could become Europe’s gas safe,” Shmyhal said.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal (L) welcomes German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) at the 7th German-Ukrainian Economic Forum, Haus der Deutschen Wirtschaft. Michael Kappeler/dpa
