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The Ukrainian PM did not say, what parts of the industry, that will now look outside the borders.
Ukraine is moving toward a new phase in its war-time economy, one that could see domestically produced weapons reaching foreign markets.
Officials say the change is not only about exports, but about redefining Ukraine’s role within Western defense networks.
Growing independence
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky said on February 8 on Telegram that parts of Ukraine’s defense industrial base have reached a level of self-sufficiency that allows the country to begin exporting military products.
According to The Kyiv Independent, he announced plans to open 10 military export centers across northern Europe and the Baltic states in 2026, signaling Kyiv’s intent to integrate more closely with allied defense industries.
Zelensky did not specify which systems would be offered for export, but framed the move as a natural outcome of domestic production capacity built during the war.
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Joint production push
Zelensky said Ukraine will begin jointly producing Ukrainian-made drones in Germany from mid-February 2025, expanding cooperation with a key European partner.
He also confirmed that Ukraine and the United Kingdom have already opened joint production lines on British territory, further embedding Ukrainian technology in Western manufacturing.
These partnerships aim to combine Ukrainian combat-tested designs with Western industrial scale and financing.
Long-term strategy
Ukraine began pursuing defense industrial self-sufficiency in 2023, seeking to reduce reliance on foreign arms deliveries over time.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Western security and financial assistance was critical in enabling this effort.
ISW assessed in early 2024 that Ukraine would still need substantial Western military aid for several years before full self-sufficiency is possible.
Ukrainian exports and joint production arrangements are seen as mutually beneficial, allowing Western states to absorb lessons from Ukraine’s experience fighting a high-intensity, technology-driven conflict.
Sources: Statements from Volodomy Zelenskyj on Telegram, Kyiv Independent, Institute for the Study of War
