The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) held Defence Talks event in Kyiv on 29 November 2024. Participants discussed the current state of the Ukrainian defence industry and ways of its further development. They also discussed the prospects for raising funds from partner countries.
Speakers at the event included Anna Hvozdiar, Deputy Minister of Strategic Industry of Ukraine; Oleksandr Plachynta, Senior Officer, Department of Procurement Policy, Ministry of Defence of Ukraine; Anders Hermstad, Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Military Attaché at the Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine; Olena Tregub, NAKO Executive Director; Anastasiia Shuba, Deputy Head of the Public Anti-Corruption Council under the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. Yuliia Marushevska, Head of the Reforms Support Office of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, moderated the Defence Talks.
Some 30 military attachés and diplomats from Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, the United States, and Japan attended the event.
Participants in the discussion “Ukraine’s Defence Industry: Local production, procurement and attracting foreign investment. What does it take to win?” discussed the successes and challenges of Ukrainian defence companies. In particular, they discussed the ZBROYARI initiative, a global fundraising campaign to raise $10 billion for arms production in Ukraine. Ten countries have so far supported the project.
They also discussed funding from partner countries, including the Danish model, which allows funds to be raised for the priority needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This mechanism involves monitoring by partners who can directly contact Ukrainian manufacturers and monitor the progress of contracts. In this way, Ukraine aims to build trust with its partners and show that their money is being spent as transparently as possible.
“Defence talks” are non-public meetings where Ukrainian government officials, senior officials, civil society representatives and diplomatic corps representatives discuss key trends and challenges in the security and defence sector and the progress of anti-corruption reforms.
NAKO held the “Defence Talks” with the support of ISAR Ednannia as part of the Civil Society Sectoral Support Initiative project.