Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba announced that in the coming days the Defense Industries Forum will be held in Kyiv, in which more than 165 companies from around the world have confirmed their participation.

"In a few days we are holding the Defense Industries Forum in Kyiv. This is our initiative because we understand that we need to think strategically and we cannot ensure consistency of supply only through warehouses. It must be ensured by increasing production and, above all, in Ukraine. We are working together with the Minister of Strategic Industries Kamyshin and the Minister of Defense Umerov in order to maximize synergy and results in this," Kuleba said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

As the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, the first Ukrainian Forum of Defense Industries will bring together in Kyiv representatives not only of European companies, but also from other parts of the world.

"Since everyone feels the benefit from this: because you produce something with Ukraine, strengthen Ukraine, gain experience in the combat use of these weapons and can improve them even more, increase their cost, plus implement joint technological projects. We simply, in the good sense of the word, got into the 'living nerve' of world politics, because, unfortunately, there are times to disarm, and there are times to arm. And the world is now in a phase where we have to arm ourselves, because there are characters like Putin who live in categories of war, not peace," Kuleba said.

According to him, the idea of the forum was born in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs back in the spring of 2023, and now, on behalf of the President of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Strategic Industry and the Ministry of Defense are working as one team to organize this event. He said "this is an example of real teamwork of three ministries in the interests of the defense of Ukraine."

"The key focus now is definitely on companies, on their signing contracts, on creating alliances. And here the work of the Ministry of Strategic Industry and the Ministry of Defense is key to fill all this with real content. And the Ministry of Foreign Affairs works with each country accordingly so that they delegate the maximum number of campaigns to participate in this forum. We are creating a 'political umbrella' for the forum so that companies can see that what they plan to do together with Ukraine has the political support of their governments, as well as the EU and NATO," Kuleba said.