Ukrainian companies ready to produce millions of drones next year, but need funding - Ministry of Defense
Deputy Ministers of Defense of Ukraine Serhiy Boev and Hanna Gvozdiar have held a working meeting with a delegation of the Czech Ministry of Defense headed by Deputy Minister of Defense Daniel Blazhkovec, during which they discussed the optimization of the processes of procurement and delivery of ammunition within the framework of the "Czech initiative."
As reported on the website of the Ukrainian defense ministry on Wednesday, the director of the intergovernmental agency for military cooperation under the Czech Ministry of Defense Aleš Vitechka familiarized the Ukrainian side with the relevant schedules of receipts.
"Russia continues to put pressure on the front, so the need for ammunition remains high," Boev emphasized.
Separately, they considered the need for financing the Ukrainian defense-industrial complex and the prospects for joint projects with the Czech defense industry.
"Ukrainian companies are ready to produce millions of drones next year. However, there is a need for financing to fully utilize the capabilities," Gvozdiar noted.
The Czech initiative, launched in 2024 and financed by NATO allies, envisaged the supply of 1.5 million artillery ammunition to Ukraine, including 500,000 units of 155-mm shells. In February, Czech President Petr Pavel announced that the initiative to supply Ukraine with large-caliber ammunition had delivered 1.6 million shells and would be continued.