The head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Kyrylo Budanov, stated that unrestricted arms sales are not feasible during the current active phase of the war. He emphasized that Ukraine could only export surplus weaponry, including naval drones and certain models of drones that are less utilized in the ongoing conflict.
In a recent Telegram post, Budanov explained, “Unrestricted arms sales during an active phase of war are impossible. Neither our military on the front lines nor our Western partners, from whom we seek weapons, would understand this. I believe we can only sell what we have in sufficient surplus, such as naval drones. We can also export weapons that are no longer actively used in our war but are still in demand in Asia or Africa, like some long-range UAVs or early models of FPV drones.”
Budanov also highlighted the critical need to prevent uncontrolled technology leaks. He stressed that Ukraine must not allow unique developments to fall into the hands of Russia through the sale of finished products or the establishment of dubious subsidiary companies.
“I urged manufacturers to focus on integrating artificial intelligence now. The implementation of AI and the development of our own management systems are the only ways to maintain our status as leaders in the field of drone technology,”
he wrote. Budanov pointed out that the future of Ukraine’s defense industry lies in technological superiority, noting that the country’s experience and innovations have become a global brand.
“However, this status will not last forever. We have a unique window of opportunity to carve out our niche in the global market,”
he concluded.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian President's Office, has declared that unrestricted arms sales are impractical during the ongoing war. He emphasized the importance of maintaining technological integrity while exploring limited exports of surplus weaponry.