Ukraine, Latvia defense chiefs discuss boosting joint weapons production
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Ihor Klymenko and Latvian Defense Minister Raivis Melnis, who arrived in Kyiv, discussed the development of the Drone Deal, strengthening air defense and missile defense, as well as the development of a multilayered counter-drone defense.
Ukrainian Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ihor Klymenko met with Latvian Defense Minister Raivis Melnis in Kyiv, focusing on enhancing joint weapons production. The two discussed boosting air defense and missile defense capabilities, as well as developing a multilayered counter-drone defense.
Klymenko expressed gratitude to Latvia for its substantial support, with Latvia allocating around EUR 110 million to Ukraine’s security in 2026, including EUR 50 million for drones. He emphasized the need to move beyond individual deliveries to joint production, component localization, and testing of new systems.
Klymenko highlighted Ukraine's readiness to share practical combat experience using UAVs and countermeasures. They also explored strengthening air defense and missile defense systems, with potential for collaborative projects under the SAFE mechanism. Following the meeting, both agreed to accelerate work on procuring Ukrainian-made weapons and signing relevant contracts, a significant step towards empowering Ukraine's defense industry.
Klymenko concluded the discussion, thanking Melnis and the Latvian team for their open and substantive dialogue, vowing to continue working on concrete solutions that strengthen both Ukraine and their partners.
Written by urgent.news from Interfax-Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
