At the moment, the Non-Commissioned Officer Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — which includes more than 250,000 sergeants…
The third International Defence Industries Forum — DFNC³ — is concluding its work in Kyiv; it has already become an annual platform where decisions are formed to strengthen Ukraine’s defence industry and to build the arsenal of the free world.
This was reported by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
This year DFNC³ gathered about 2,000 participants from more than 20 countries. The event brought together nearly 900 private foreign and Ukrainian defence and technology companies and associations, 120 government bodies and 50 defence ministries, as well as representatives of embassies and international organisations.
The largest delegations arrived from Denmark, the USA, Poland, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Norway, which confirmed the high level of interest in and support for Ukraine on the international stage.
The Forum was opened by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. He emphasised that since the start of the full-scale war the potential of Ukrainian WEAPONS has increased by tens of times. At the same time, the production of armaments today is a joint task of Ukraine and partner countries.
The Head of State thanked international partners for their support and awarded the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class, to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof, as well as Orders of Merit, 3rd class, to the Commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces, General Eirik Kristoffersen, and to the National Director for Armaments of the Dutch Ministry of Defence, Vice Admiral Jan Willem Hartman.
Speakers at DFNC³ included Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk. Honorary speakers at the Forum were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Slovakia Robert Kaliňák; Minister of Defence of Denmark Troels Lund Poulsen; Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans of the United Kingdom Luke Pollard; and Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs of Denmark Morten Bødskov. A speech was also delivered by Eric Schmidt, investor and founder of the company White Stork.
“We are creating new partnerships and implementing joint productions — both on the territories of our partner countries and in Ukraine. Through the strategic initiatives Build with Ukraine, Build in Ukraine we are not only strengthening our own defence‑industrial complex, but together with our allies building the arsenal of the free world”, — said Ukraine’s Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Several important interstate and business agreements were signed on the sidelines of DFNC³ that open new opportunities for Ukrainian manufacturers.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Kingdom of Denmark that provides for the launch of production by Ukrainian defence companies on Danish territory. An agreement was signed with Slovakia on the provision of non‑lethal and humanitarian equipment to Ukraine.
Also, with the participation of the State Concern “Ukroboronprom”, Ukrainian companies signed cooperation documents with European partners — in particular with companies from Spain and Romania.
“Ukrainian weapons are our smart power. They are unique because they are created in the conditions of a real, exhausting war and already today help our military accomplish combat missions. Cooperation between the state, business and international partners and the emergence of such platforms mean new production capacities, modern technologies and the ability to make our weapons faster, of higher quality and in larger volumes”, — said Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Hanna Hvozdjar.
“We are creating new partnerships and implementing joint productions — both on the territories of our partner countries and in Ukraine. Through the strategic initiatives Build with Ukraine, Build in Ukraine we are not only strengthening our own defence‑industrial complex, but together with our allies building the arsenal of the free world”, — said Ukraine’s Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Several important interstate and business agreements were signed on the sidelines of DFNC³ that open new opportunities for Ukrainian manufacturers.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Kingdom of Denmark that provides for the launch of production by Ukrainian defence companies on Danish territory. An agreement was signed with Slovakia on the provision of non‑lethal and humanitarian equipment to Ukraine.
Also, with the participation of the State Concern “Ukroboronprom”, Ukrainian companies signed cooperation documents with European partners — in particular with companies from Spain and Romania.
“Ukrainian weapons are our smart power. They are unique because they are created in the conditions of a real, exhausting war and already today help our military accomplish combat missions. Cooperation between the state, business and international partners and the emergence of such platforms mean new production capacities, modern technologies and the ability to make our weapons faster, of higher quality and in larger volumes”, — said Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Hanna Hvozdjar.
