Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak and Canadian National Defense Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan have discussed the prospects of Ukraine’s inclusion to the list of countries to which Canadian weapons export is possible, as well as the issue of creating a joint military equipment production.
“We have discussed prospects of the inclusion by Canada of our country to the list of countries to which export of weapons and hardware is possible. The work on this issue is very successful, the progress is very good, and there are good prospects,” Poltorak said at a briefing following negotiations with his Canadian counterpart in Kyiv on Tuesday.
The parties also discussed the issue of setting up a joint production of equipment and hardware both in Canada and Ukraine, he said.
“We would like Canada to join the construction of an ammunition plant in Ukraine,” Poltorak said.
The issue of Canada’s support to international efforts in the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in eastern Ukraine and main approaches to organizing this process were addressed during the meeting, he said.
“A lot of attention was given to this issue, there is mutual understanding, but it is an issue for further discussion and negotiations,” the minister said.
The Canadian national defense minister, for his part, said that his country would maintain friendship with Ukraine and strengthen its ties with it.
He recalled that Ukraine and Canada signed a defense cooperation agreement in April. The Ukrainian people can count on Canada’s support, he said.
Sajjan also recalled that Canadian instructors trained almost 6,000 Ukrainian troops.
