Kyiv hosts Czech-Ukrainian Defence Cooperation Forum

The event is attended by Ivan Rusnak, First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, participants of Czech delegation led by Daniel Koštoval, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, and representatives of structural divisions of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

The Forum was organized to step up cooperation between Ukraine and Czechia in defence and industrial area, to determine the cooperation prospects, to facilitate equipping the Armed Forces and other military formations of Ukraine with the advanced items of military technology, equipment and uniform.

Before the Forum, the participants had a chance to get familiarized with the samples produced by the defence industry enterprises of the Czech Republic.

On opening the event, First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Ivan Rusnak expressed gratitude to the Czech party for the support provided by Czechia in these difficult times. He emphasized that international support and the example of foreign countries instil confidence into the Ukrainian society that we are capable of achieving European values and freedoms.

"I believe the forum will give a new impetus to the development of relations between the armed forces of Ukraine and the Czech Republic, and strengthen regional defence cooperation as well. The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine will spare no effort to ensure that the agreements reached during the forum were put into practice as soon as possible," he said.

Daniel Koštoval, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic assured the Ukrainian party in solidarity of the Czech people with the Ukraine’s stance and stressed that the results of the Ukrainian-Czech forum will be of a practical nature.

"Today the Czech Republic has what to offer Ukraine, but Ukraine has what to offer to the Czech Republic as well. So we have definite proposals to develop our bilateral defence cooperation and ready to implement joint projects", he reassured.

The Deputy Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic added that aimed at launching the implementation of the projects Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic Martin Stropnický is resolute to pay an official visit to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine in the near future.