Missing Window: Ukraine Ignores Joint Missile Production Talks with European Manufacturer

Ukraine had a chance to join three strategic projects with one of Europe’s leading defense giants to strengthen its air defense and missile defense systems, localize the production of critical missiles, and even jointly develop a new missile for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and EU countries. However, this chance was missed.

This was reported by the director of the Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies, Valentin Badrak, writes Liga.net.

The discussion was about projects that could give Ukraine access to the best technological modules for air defense, covering large, medium and short ranges. In the conditions of war with Russia, the partners were ready to open up their own technologies to Ukraine, which had not previously been transferred to third countries, as well as to familiarize Ukraine with the production of anti-aircraft missiles to assess the possibility of their joint production. Despite the fact that the queue of such systems is stretched out for years, Ukraine was ready to be given priority.

In Europe, there has long been a “missile fever”, which has only intensified after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s calls to quadruple spending on air defense and missile defense and urgent purchases of air defense systems worth billions of euros. In such circumstances, a unique window has opened for Ukraine to participate in projects to produce critical missiles, approaching technologies to counter ballistics without involving the United States, which is currently unavailable even to Europe itself.

The third area of negotiations involved the joint development and production of the latest missile, which should be supplied to both Ukraine and the armies of EU countries. This would be the first participation in a project of such a level in the history of Ukraine, which could secure our country’s place among the manufacturers of the latest air defense and missile defense systems.

The negotiations lasted for several months, the partners prepared access to advanced technologies, but at the last moment the Ukrainian side, without explanation or apology, cancelled the visit that was supposed to consolidate the agreements. After that, the representatives of the European side reported that further negotiations were curtailed and the door was closed.

According to information, since April 2025, the issue of military-technical cooperation in the Ministry of Defense has been supervised by First Deputy Minister Sergei Boev, and the decision to cancel it could only be made by him or Minister Umerov.

As a result, at a time when Russia’s missile threat is only growing, Ukraine has lost a real opportunity to strengthen its own air defense and missile defense system and integrate its own military-industrial complex into the production of the latest Western weapons.

Let us recall that Ukrainian developers have created their own anti-aircraft missile system for air defense, but AOZ officials are holding up its introduction into serial production.

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