On May 11, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius visited Ukraine, where he engaged in discussions with President Volodymyr Zelensky and toured Ukrainian air defense positions. This marks Pistorius’s seventh trip to the country since taking office.
During the meeting, Zelensky highlighted ongoing discussions surrounding joint defense production, indicating that progress has been made. “We discussed the development of joint defense production. We can already count on six projects. There is also a proposal for Ukraine to collaborate with Germany under a Drone Deal. We hope to implement this. We value our agreements regarding the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense, which were signed in April. This is crucial for protecting our energy infrastructure. Europe must be self-sufficient in defending against any threats, especially ballistic ones. We discussed how we can move forward in this direction,” Zelensky stated.
“We discussed the development of joint defense production. We can already count on six projects. There is also a proposal for Ukraine to collaborate with Germany under a Drone Deal. We hope to implement this. We value our agreements regarding the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense, which were signed in April. This is crucial for protecting our energy infrastructure. Europe must be self-sufficient in defending against any threats, especially ballistic ones. We discussed how we can move forward in this direction,” Zelensky stated.
Additionally, the leaders addressed the diplomatic efforts necessary for achieving peace. Zelensky remarked, “Much depends on Europe in the process of peaceful resolution and in the reconstruction of our country.”
Following the discussions, the German delegation visited a Ukrainian air defense position, where they were briefed on the command post and a mobile fire group equipped with heavy machine guns and intercepting drones.
Pistorius previously indicated that Germany and Ukraine intend to expand their defense cooperation, particularly in the area of unmanned systems.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius's recent visit to Ukraine focused on enhancing military collaboration and addressing diplomatic efforts for peace. The discussions included joint defense production and air defense improvements.