President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has actually begun exporting its own weapons and military technologies. We tell you what will be exported, who will sell what, and how much they will earn.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has actually begun exporting its own weapons and military technologies. We tell you what will be exported, who will sell what, and how much they will earn.
«Today we are opening exports. In Europe, there will be ten export centers in 2026. These are the Baltic countries and the countries of Northern Europe. Ten representative offices will operate in 2026. In mid-February, we will see the production of our drones in Germany. I will receive the first drone. This is a working line. There are production lines in Britain. These are all our Ukrainian technologies,» the president noted.
«We are simply at war, and not all companies yet feel such a space of freedom that they can enter all other markets,» Zelensky added.
He added that Europe’s security is now built on technology and drones. Ukraine already has several different projects that will be based mostly on Ukrainian technology and Ukrainian specialists.
According to the president, 10 export centers will operate in Europe in 2026. «Of course, we need it — for our state, for our military… There is a request from the Ministry of Defense, there is an appropriate volume, and everything else — you can export, earn money, share with partners, develop this direction,» the head of state emphasized.
Earlier, dev.ua reported that Ukraine is preparing controlled arms exports: export-import platforms in Europe, the USA and the Middle East should be operational by the end of 2025. The funds raised will be used to purchase and produce the most scarce systems, primarily air defense and ammunition. The initiative envisages the launch of «key elements» of the system by the end of the year.
Deputy Defense Minister Anna Gvozdiar said that export revenues would be directed to scarce weapons and the development of priority technologies. She also estimated the production potential of the drone and missile sector at $35 billion next year.
According to market participants, there is a surplus of naval drones, electronic warfare/electronic warfare equipment, ground robotic complexes, acoustic sensors, and UAVs of various types, primarily FPV. The most likely initial export directions are ATGMs and naval drones. The final lists and deadlines will be determined by the Ministry of Defense, taking into account the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Details of the mechanism are not yet disclosed for security reasons. At the process level, it is expected that the current permit system will be maintained through the Interagency Commission under the National Security and Defense Council and the State Service for Export Control. This should distribute risks and speed up typical cases. The Ministry of Economy is responsible for export control; together with partners, platforms for joint production and technology transfer are being prepared.
Entering foreign markets requires compliance with European standards and the rejection of sensitive components, including Chinese ones. Add competition from global players in the UAV and electronic warfare markets, and it becomes clear why manufacturers will have to quickly tighten certification, logistics, and service.
The president announced the need for exports on October 6 at the DFNC3 forum. The government has been instructed to launch the platforms by the end of the year. Last year, the industry complained of underutilization due to a lack of long-term government contracts; controlled exports should partially close this gap and turn the surplus of certain items into resources for air defense, 155-mm ammunition, and explosives, which are in short supply at the front.
According to the Ukrainian Council of Gunsmiths, 94,4% of weapons manufacturers are ready to open up exports of their products. They can produce more weapons than the state is able to finance.
The National Association of Defense Industry Enterprises of Ukraine (NAUDI) said that opening up the export of military products could be a strategic step to strengthen the country’s economy.
«Now, the only thing that can compete with the issue of scaling production is the issue of its financing,» said Dmytro Natalukha, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development.
NAUDI noted that the export of military products could bring the state up to $2 billion in additional tax revenues in a year and a half.
Part of the market is ready to accept state participation as a facilitation, but within very clear limits. Mykhailo Rudominsky (Himera) emphasizes that such export representative offices can be useful only as a tool for trust and control of the end user, but, according to him, «they do not replace the role of the manufacturer himself, who remains key in the technical, engineering and commercial support of the contract.» And he adds that in order to avoid delays or unnecessary bureaucracy, there must be clear public criteria, understandable procedures and accountability mechanisms.
As for the risks of excessive restrictions, several experts agree on this. Representative offices can begin to interfere in the business processes of manufacturers themselves, and become simply burdensome intermediaries if they can influence the terms of contracts and have access to financial flows.
«If these offices have access to cash flows and financial conditions, there is a great risk of turning these institutions into the same special exporters that were previously mandatory for us and simply imposed their conditions,» says Yaroslav Filimonov, CEO of Kvertus.
Excessive bureaucracy also hinders manufacturers of military defense equipment.
«We fully understand and support the right of a state to know what is being exported from its territory and imported. This is normal international practice. But bureaucratic barriers and complex licensing procedures for our category of products — means of protection, not damage — have no logical justification,» says Dmytro Khvylia, founder of the Ukrainian Armor company.
