Ukraine establishes defense industries alliance: 38 companies from 19 countries join

By the time the International Defense Industries Forum held in Kyiv on Friday closed, 38 companies from 19 countries had joined the alliance.

Ukrainian companies also signed 20 contracts with foreign partners, Rubryka reports, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.

"These are agreements and memoranda on drone production and the repair and production of armored vehicles and ammunition," the ministry said. "The cooperation will involve joint production, exchange of technologies, and supply of components." 

The foreign ministry also said that any weapons and military equipment manufacturer from any country could join the alliance.

What we know about the International Defense Industries Forum

Ukraine held its first Defense Industries Forum for domestic and foreign arms manufacturers, DFNC1. The forum was jointly organized by the Ministry of Strategic Industries, the Ministry of Defense, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

252 defense companies from more than 30 countries of the world participated in the forum in Kyiv. These include tanks, artillery, drones, ammunition manufacturers, innovative software developers, and owners of unique complex technologies. Ukrainian state and private defense companies and defense-tech startups joined the event. 

The event was developed to record the achievements of Ukraine's defense-industrial complex and consider what can add to the country's possibilities, particularly by creating new production facilities in Ukraine.

During his speech at the forum, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the Defense Industries Alliance. The declaration is open for accession and has already been signed by 13 companies.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Kyiv to participate in the event. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu was also among the participants, having arrived with a delegation of representatives of companies specializing in military equipment production.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and representatives of the partner countries made special video messages. 

Honorary speakers of the forum were Slovak Defense Minister Martin Sklenár and NATO Assistant Secretary General Wendy Gilmore.

Zelensky also announced that Ukraine would establish a special defense fund, which will be filled with dividends from state defense assets and profits from the sale of confiscated Russian assets.