Ukraine and the United States have agreed to launch joint weapons production to enable Kyiv to start producing air defence systems.

President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed this on Friday as he wrapped up a visit to the U.S.

In his daily address to Ukrainians, Mr Zelensky said the long-term agreement would create jobs and a new industrial base in Ukraine, whose economy has been devastated by Russia’s invasion and war.

“It was a very important visit to Washington, very important results,” Mr Zelensky said in a video posted on the presidential website Friday morning.

“And a long-term agreement, we will work together so that Ukraine produces the necessary weapons together with the United States.

“Co-production in the defence sector with the United States is a historic thing,” the president stated. 

Kyiv had stepped up efforts to boost domestic weapons production as much as possible because 19 months of war had created a huge demand for arms and ammunition to fend off Russian attacks.

Russian air strikes across Ukraine had caused widespread damage and killed many people.

Mr Zelensky said the Ministry for Strategic Industries, which oversaw weapons production in Ukraine, had signed cooperation agreements with three associations, uniting over 2,000 defence U.S. companies, on future possible work in Ukraine.

“We are preparing to create a new defence ecosystem with the United States to produce weapons to strengthen further freedom and protect life together,” Mr Zelensky said.

Ukraine depended heavily on Western military support to reduce its dependence.  Mr Zelensky and his team had been pushing for reforms in the domestic defence industry to modernise local producers and increase supplies to the front.

Mr Zelensky previously said Kyiv would soon host an international arms production forum, inviting companies from over 20 countries.

The government is also implementing reforms at its main weapons production company, Ukroboronprom, to improve transparency, boost production capacity, and enable it to cooperate more actively with Western producers.

Ukraine had already agreed on several joint projects with central European producers to repair Ukrainian tanks and other vehicles, and had been working to develop drone and missile production.

(Reuters/NAN)