Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries and the United States have reached a fundamental agreement that could radically change the landscape of Ukraine's military industry. Following the summit held in France, a joint statement was released containing a key agreement: Western countries are ready to provide Ukraine with licenses to produce not only air defense systems but also long-range weaponry.
New stage: from supplies to local production
As reported by RBK-Ukraine, the decision on licensing became one of the central outcomes of the meeting. The United States and European G7 partners plan to organize the production of weapons directly on Ukrainian territory, transferring the corresponding rights to Western companies. This step is intended to reduce dependence on supply logistics chains and accelerate the arming process.
A diplomatic source on the sidelines of the summit clarified the details of the agreement. It concerns not only classic air defense means. Ukraine will have the opportunity to produce means for striking targets at long distances, in particular long-range missiles. This decision directly responds to Kyiv's requests to expand long-range capabilities to protect its territories.
Germany's position and the shortage of capacity
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, commenting on the situation, emphasized the importance of cross-border technology exchange. According to him, American companies will be able to transfer corresponding licenses to European manufacturers, creating a united front of support.
Merz pointed out an acute problem: current volumes of weapons production in Europe and the US are insufficient to cover all the needs of the conflict. Licensing will allow for a faster increase in the production of necessary products. Both European and Ukrainian enterprises may join this process, which will allow production to be scaled up in the shortest possible time.
Context and current supplies
During the G7 summit, partners discussed not only future production but also current needs. Strengthening Ukraine's air defense and supporting domestic weapons production were named among the main priorities. Country leaders confirmed their intention to increase supply volumes while simultaneously launching localization mechanisms.
The background for these agreements is created by the active actions of allies. Thus, it was previously reported that the UK is transferring thousands of Martlet anti-drone missiles to Ukraine. Some of them are already being used by the Ukrainian military to fight aerial targets, demonstrating the effectiveness of Western systems in real combat conditions.