President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives of BAE Systems, a multinational company headquartered in London that operates in the fields of arms production, security, and aerospace.
The Head of State thanked CEO Charles Woodburn and the BAE Systems team for the visit and the decision to open its representative office in Ukraine.
"We highly appreciate when private companies open their offices in our country at such a time. First of all, this is a very important signal of support for our people, Ukrainian citizens," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
The President noted that the weapons manufactured by BAE Systems, in particular L119 and M777 artillery systems, CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, are already actively used in Ukraine, helping bring victory in the confrontation with the Russian aggressor closer and receiving extremely positive feedback from the Ukrainian military.
According to him, Ukraine seeks to be a co-creator of a new effective system of European and global security, which is impossible without a powerful defense industry. To build it, our country wants to attract leading defense companies from allied countries.
As a result of the meeting, the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine and BAE Systems signed a Cooperation Agreement on the localization of BAE Systems arms production in the presence of the President of Ukraine and the CEO of BAE Systems.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and BAE Systems also signed a Framework Agreement on cooperation in the repair, spare parts and production of new L119 light guns.
At the end of the meeting, Charles Woodburn presented Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a commemorative certificate dedicated to the opening of the BAE Systems Ukraine office and the start of the company's cooperation with our country. It signifies BAE Systems' commitment to sustained support for the Ukrainian people.