Pistorius arrives in Kyiv to discuss cooperation in defense industry – media
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has arrived in Kyiv for negotiations on expanding cooperation in the defense industry with Ukraine.
This was reported by the German news agency DPA on the social network X on Monday morning.
According to the German publication Die Welt, the minister’s visit is focused on the joint development of new weapons systems with Ukraine, a partnership intended to go far beyond existing aid.
"Germany and Ukraine are strategic partners who both benefit from cooperation. This leads to numerous new projects. Attention is paid to the joint development of state-of-the-art unmanned weapons systems at all ranges, especially in the field of deep strikes. This strengthens the security of our countries," Pistorius said in a comment to DPA.
He stated that the German government seeks to open new joint German-Ukrainian enterprises.
"We benefit from the experience of Ukrainians on the battlefield. We also plan to support developers who can demonstrate promising innovations through the Brave1 platform," Pistorius said.
Die Welt emphasizes that European NATO partners still have capability gaps in the field of long-range weapons, and Pistorius considers it important for NATO states to eliminate them as quickly as possible.
It is noted that Germany recently expanded its support for Ukraine’s defense efforts and seeks to involve more private German investors in investing in Ukrainian defense companies and joint ventures. To discuss the conditions for such investments, the Ministry of Defense in Berlin held a telephone conference with representatives of the Ukrainian government. For the first time, banks, funds, and other key players in the financial sector also took part.
In mid-April, during government consultations, the German government agreed on a "strategic partnership" with Ukraine and promised further military aid. The cooperation is intended to go far beyond German military and financial assistance, providing long-term benefits for both parties.
It was announced that Germany would finance a contract between Ukraine and the American defense contractor Raytheon for the supply of several hundred Patriot missiles. In addition, an agreement was reached with the German company Diehl Defence for the supply of additional launchers for Iris-T air defense systems. An agreement was also reached on the production of medium- and long-range drones. A joint venture is planned with the goal of supplying thousands of drones.
Germany’s stated goal is to ensure the strongest possible position for the country in any peace negotiations with Russia, so that the latter does not have the opportunity to dictate the rules of a peace settlement, including territorial concessions.
As reported, in April, Pistorius unveiled a military strategy according to which the number of German troops should increase to 260,000 people, and taking into account mobilization reserve personnel, should reach 460,000. He also called the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense Berlin’s top priority.
