Ukraine may lift ban on arms exports – Umerov

Ukraine is considering attracting international investments into its defense industry and may resume exporting domestic weaponry, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said during a briefing in Brussels, as reported by Ukrinform.

"Last year, when I took over as defense minister, we created a plan for our capabilities in both the state and private sectors of the defense industry. The state took the first step by investing in defense. This year, we offered partners several cooperation options, including joint ventures, long-term contracts for 10 years, and financial instruments such as loans or export financing," said Umerov.

He added that negotiations are currently ongoing with international partners on various projects, but the final decision will depend on the country's leadership.

"Some countries have already expressed interest in purchasing Ukrainian missiles, drones, and other weapons. We do not rule out this possibility, but the decision will be made collectively at the level of the country's leadership," the minister noted.

Following the start of the full-scale war with Russia in 2022, Ukraine imposed a ban on the export of military products to ensure that its own Armed Forces had the necessary resources.

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