Kyiv, Ankara to expand production of Bayraktar drones in Ukraine

Ukraine and Turkey have signed an agreement that will significantly expand the production of Bayraktar unmanned combat aerial vehicles in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

He stated this at a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Kyiv on Thursday, February 3, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"I am confident that our talks will lead to a very practical result that will strengthen the security of our country, the energy security of our countries and not only our countries but also the countries of the region," Zelenskyy said.

He said that during the talks, special attention was paid to cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey in the aviation and defense industries. Zelenskyy stressed that this was a priority in the strategic partnership between the states.

"Our goal is to implement specific projects, create joint ventures, share experiences, and exchange technologies. Today, an agreement was signed that will significantly expand the production of Bayraktar unmanned aerial vehicles in Ukraine. These are new technologies, new jobs, the strengthening of the state's defense capabilities," Zelenskyy said.

He also said that Ukraine and Turkey seek to "give a new impetus" to energy cooperation.

Erdogan is on an official visit to Ukraine on February 3.