Ukraine, Brazil to strengthen cooperation in defense industry

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says Ukraine and Brazil have started a dialogue on defense industry issues to strengthen cooperation in this field.

He made the comment during the opening of the first defense industry dialogue between Ukraine and Brazil in Kyiv, as reported by the ministry's press service on December 1.

Read alsoKuleba: Time to open new page in Ukraine-Brazil relations"Today we've launched a new page of the Ukraine-Brazil cooperation in the defense industry, which means new opportunities for Ukrainian exports and trade," the press service quoted Kuleba as saying.

The diplomat stressed that the start of the defense dialogue is a priority of the ministry's activities to open new opportunities for Ukrainian companies and the industry in general.

The Ukraine-Brazil cooperation, he says, should not be limited only to bilateral trade. Also, it should provide for ambitious plans for joint entry into the markets of third countries, in particular, those of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

"This dialogue lays a solid foundation for mutually beneficial long-term cooperation between representatives of the two countries' defense departments and enterprises," Kuleba said.

The minister also noted that consultations with the Brazilian side had already shown Brazilian defense industry enterprises' interest in establishing a dialogue with Ukraine. "Brazil conducts such a dialogue only with five countries, namely Argentina, the U.S., Portugal, France, and India," he added.

Kuleba said he held a video conference with his Brazilian counterpart, Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo, last month. The sides then confirmed their mutual readiness to comprehensively develop and deepen their strategic partnership.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's visit to Ukraine, which is scheduled for the next year, should serve as an impetus for the development of the Ukrainian-Brazilian partnership. "It should open a new page in bilateral relations," Kuleba stressed.

"We're starting a dialogue between the two countries' associations of industrialists and entrepreneurs, and we are actively preparing the next meeting of the Ukrainian-Brazilian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation," he added.