Ukraine has signed a memorandum of understanding with KNDS to jointly produce medium-caliber ammunition for the armed forces.
The agreement encompasses the manufacturing of shells commonly loaded into automatic guns and fired against adversarial infantry units, light armored vehicles, and low-altitude aerial targets.
Work for the program will be facilitated by Kyiv’s state-owned defense company, Ukroboronprom, and KNDS’ arm in Belgium.
“We are gradually expanding the geography of our international partnerships, looking for and finding new areas of interaction,” Ukroboronprom General Director Oleh Hulyak stated.
“This benefits the Ukrainian Defense Forces and our defense-industrial complex, which seeks to integrate into the global arms industry of NATO countries.”
$1B Donation for Ukraine
The arms cooperation follows Belgium’s announcement of new military aid for Ukraine amidst Russia’s continuing aggression.
The donation is valued at 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion), according to Belgian news agency De Tijd, and includes “a hundred” armored vehicles and transport vehicles, 16,000 firearms, and 20 Cerberus air defense systems.
It will also cover the supply of unmanned aerial and surface systems, drone detection systems, night vision goggles, and protective gear for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.
Moreover, Brussels will send a Leopard battle tank equipped with an advanced turret for “testing purposes” to Ukraine.
Defence Minister Theo Francken noted that about 645 million euros ($731.5 million) of the assistance will be sourced from the Belgian indigenous defense sector to bolster the country’s own economy.