“Ukraine is capable of producing eight million drones per year,” says Volodymyr Zelensky who calls on NATO members to invest in the production of Ukrainian weapons
During the Defense Industries Forum in The Hague, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a speech, of which he transcribed part of X.
“Russia rejects all peace proposals, including those of the United States. Perhaps Putin links her own political survival to her ability to continue to kill: as long as he kills, he lives.
We all know that Russia is at the origin of this war and the long -term threat which weighs on European lifestyle (…). It is only together that we can face it, hitting the heart of this assault hard and breaking all the links that unite Russia to its accomplices. Our priorities: joint defense production and real restrictions on cooperation with Russia through sanctions and other measures.
Ukraine’s defense production potential exceeded 35 billion US dollars, including nearly 1,000 types of products – artillery and traditional armored vehicles with advanced drones of all types and missiles. But around 40 % of this potential lacks funding.
We can produce more than eight million drones per year, but current funding makes it possible to produce much less. Meanwhile, Russia not only uses its oil revenues for its defense, but also regimes resources like North Korea and Iran, as well as Russia’s corrupt relations in other countries.
We have to take the lead in the drone race, whether drones of attack or interceptors, and continue to progress in the production of traditional weapons, taking into account all the lessons learned from this long war. I invite our partners to increase their investments in the production of Ukrainian and common weapons.
All the weapons we produce strengthen the defense and security system of Europe. We salute the European initiative “Action for security in Europe”, which plans to devote up to 150 billion euros to the development of the defense industry. We ask that this program is also actively used as an additional source of support for our common security. Ukraine is a full partner of this program, which means that security is our common cause.
Russia even provides for new military operations on the NATO territory – your countries. This war now takes place in Ukraine and you have to prepare for it – be ready. We have to stop Putin now and in Ukraine, but we must understand that its objectives go beyond Ukraine. »»
