Ukraine is exploring the possibility of establishing joint arms and equipment manufacturing companies with Latvia.
According to Ukrinform, the Ministry of Defense announced this following the talks held in Kyiv between Deputy Defense Minister Valerii Churkin and Lieutenant General Mykola Shevtsov with a Latvian military delegation, led by Major General Andis Dilāns, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense for Logistics and National Armaments Director.
Churkin expressed gratitude to the people and leadership of Latvia for their invaluable support, including military assistance, in Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.
The parties discussed the main areas of current and future cooperation in the defense sector.
“We are highly interested in establishing joint arms and equipment production companies, particularly those operating within Ukraine,” Churkin stated, highlighting Latvia’s leadership in the coalition of drones supporting Ukraine.
Shevtsov, in turn, underscored the important role of FPV drones on the frontline and emphasized their necessity for Ukrainian forces.
He noted that securing and delivering ammunition—particularly shells of various calibers—remains a critical need for Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
Dilāns reaffirmed Latvia’s interest in joint UAV production and emphasized that Ukraine’s experience in deploying different types of drones in combat conditions is highly valuable to Latvia.
Additionally, he stated that the Latvian side is keen to continue testing new drones at Ukrainian training grounds.
The delegations also discussed plans to supply Ukraine with new foreign-made armored personnel carriers and initiate training for Ukrainian military personnel in their use, set to begin in June.
The parties also placed significant focus on cooperation between private defense companies from both countries.
As reported by Ukrinform, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with a delegation from the German Ministry of Defense to discuss strategic security projects at the European level.
Photo credit: MoD
Source: Ukraine, Latvia delegations discuss progress in defense cooperation
