Ukraine will establish offices for arms exports and joint weapons production in Berlin and Copenhagen this year, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday, as part of Kyiv's efforts to scale up its domestic defense industry as it continues to fend off Russian forces in the fourth year of the war.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelensky said that naval drones and artillery systems would be among the weapons Ukraine could export. "This is about co-production and export... of the weapons that we can allow ourselves to sell, in order to have more money for our internal production of deficit items," he explained.
Mass production of missiles and drone deals
While Ukraine still relies on Western allies for fighter jets and air-defense systems, it has made significant progress in developing its drone and missile programs. Zelensky said Kyiv plans to begin mass production of domestically built missiles, including the Flamingo and Ruta, by the end of 2025.
He also noted that a Ukrainian delegation would visit Washington next week to continue talks on a United States-Ukraine drone deal, a move aimed at strengthening defense cooperation with the Trump administration.
The new export offices are expected to support co-production initiatives and generate additional funding for Ukraine's defense sector, helping the country sustain and expand its growing arsenal amid the ongoing conflict.