The Warsaw think tank on Tuesday released a report on existing linkages and possible future cooperation between the Polish and Ukrainian defense industries.
The two countries have established close collaboration in terms of military assistance, modernization of their post-Soviet armaments, and overall cooperation, especially after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the foundation said.
"Polish and Ukrainian cooperation in defense holds a bright future," the foundation's experts evaluated, as both countries share common objectives in the production and development of military equipment.
"The war in Ukraine highlighted the most significant demand areas for Ukrainian soldiers," said Dariusz Materniak, one of the report's authors.
"The equipment Ukraine received from Poland and the weaponry that proved its worth in battle – this is a hint which indicates the desired direction for further work," he added.
The report reveals that there is much room for potential collaboration, especially in anti-aircraft systems, artillery and armored vehicles, according to Polish state news agency PAP.
Foundation experts highlighted that Poland has also advanced in the maritime domain and unmanned systems, the PAP news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has improved its capabilities in areas such as transport aircraft.
Combining these abilities could enhance the capabilities of both sides, the experts observed.
They emphasized that the Ukrainian market has long-term potential to become a stable export destination for Polish defense industry products.
"It's not only about technologically advanced equipment but also basic soldier equipment, like helmets, vests, uniforms, and so on," Materniak elaborated.
Another of the think tank's experts, Paulina Zamelek, argued in the report that financing Polish-Ukrainian defense projects should not pose a problem.
"Funding is a crucial aspect of defense industry development and cooperation, especially for war-torn Ukraine," Zamelek assessed, adding that "this can be addressed using the financial and assistance programs of the EU and NATO."
She noted that "these programs have been significantly expanded" recently.
According to the foundation's Tomasz Smura, "there are vast potential cooperation areas with Ukraine, which is very keen on collaborating" with the Polish defense industry.
"Given the ongoing war, planning something in Ukraine is challenging," Smura said. "Hence, Ukrainians are interested in relocating production lines and workers to Poland and continuing technical cooperation with Poland."
The Casimir Pulaski Foundation is a Warsaw-based independent think tank that for over two decades has been analyzing transatlantic security issues.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Wednesday is day 574 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP, forsal.pl