Umerov Unveils New Ramstein Joint Venture Proposal to Make Weapons

Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov announced a new initiative on Tuesday between Kyiv and its partners from the Ukraine Contact Defense Group to produce weapons in Ukraine’s defense against the more than three-year full-scale Russian invasion.

The collaboration with those select NATO partners (also known as the Ramstein group, named after the NATO base in Germany where the alliance was formed) will focus primarily on the creation of new factories and production sites both in Ukraine and in Ramstein partner countries.

Umerov announced that all weapons produced under this initiative will be supplied to Ukraine’s Armed Forces (AFU) until the war ends.

The measure is subject to legislative approval in the Verkhovna Rada.

The Defense Minister promoted Ukrainians’ experience in modern warfare, as many international observers have noted that their use of drones, especially, in its three-year defense of sovereignty against Russia, has made it a leader in cutting-edge military tactics and technology.

 “Soon, Ukrainian arms and defense equipment manufacturers will receive a special legal and tax framework that will enable them to rapidly scale and modernize production, as well as build new facilities,” Umerov noted.

“This is a new model of defense-industrial cooperation, in which Ukraine is an equal partner and a player on the global defense market,” he said.

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On July 1, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, in cooperation with the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax, and Customs Policy, presented the main points of four draft laws to domestic defense industry companies. These legislative proposals aim to amend tax, customs, and budget laws, as well as the Criminal Code, to foster industry development and enhance production security.

Umerov said the first Verkhovna Rada vote on this legislative package is expected to take place later in July.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he will focus his political efforts, during his upcoming negotiations with EU countries, on investments in weapons production, including long-range drones and interceptor UAVs.