Ukrainian defense enterprises have received the first permits to export controlled goods, Chair of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov announced on Thursday, Feb. 12.
The decision follows a meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation and Export Control Policy – a military export executive body that resumed work for the first time after being stalled for eight months, despite Ukraine’s president giving the green light to prepare military exports beforehand.
Previously, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine will open 10 weapons export centers across Europe by the end of 2026 and begin producing Ukrainian-made drones in Germany.
Umerov noted that the move fulfills a “task set by the President to open Ukrainian arms exports in a controlled format.” All export decisions remain under strict state supervision, with the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces maintained as the unconditional priority, he wrote in a Telegram post.
“Currently, the production capacity of the Ukrainian defense industry exceeds $55 billion. In sectors such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), electronic warfare (EW), and reconnaissance, domestic capabilities already surpass the volume of internal government procurement,” Umerov wrote on Telegram.
Umerov did not specify which companies were granted permits. However, he expects that coordinated exports will attract foreign investment, thereby increasing production volumes and introducing new technologies for the Ukrainian army.
Ukraine’s efforts to open military exports aim to utilize an estimated $30-35 billion in unused production capacity. With new investment projects, total military production capacity could expand to $50 billion by 2028, the Kyiv School of Economic (KSE) Institute estimates.
Umerov said that controlled exports “open paths to new security alliances and expanded international partnerships.” The goal is to transform Ukraine’s wartime efficiency into a long-term industrial strength that contributes to collective security with partners.