Industry
MSPO 2017: Industrial Memorandum Signed Between Poland and Ukraine
On the first day of the MSPO exhibition in Kielce, a memorandum of understanding has been signed, regulating the prospective collaboration between the PGZ Group and the Ukrainian Ukroboronprom umbrella company. The document was signed in presence of the Polish Defence Minister and Deputy Ministers of Economy and Defence of Ukraine. The goal of the memorandum is to align and systematize the bilateral collaboration undertaken within the scope of joint projects destined to be marketed domestically or to be exported.
The document concerning the cooperation agreement, signed by and between the Polish and Ukrainian defence industries, has been concluded on 5th September by the President of the Management Board of the PGZ Group, Błażej Wojnicz, and by the President of the Ukroboronprom company - Roman Romanov. The event also involved the Polish Defence Minister, Antoni Macierewicz, and Ukrainian Deputy Ministers of Defence and of Economy: Igor Pavlovski and Yuri Brovchenko. The officials stressed the significance the Agreement bears for the options of bilateral collaboration which may enhance the national securities and provide a boost for the economies of both states.
This memorandum that has been signed today is regulating, makes detailed arrangements on cooperation between our defence industries, and bears a fundamental meaning, considering the prospect of creating a joint umbrella company in Europe. For a joint work, which may become one of the largest industrial forces in Europe.
Poland and Ukraine are capable of creating huge things in the defence domain, guaranteeing security for both states, also being useful for the whole of the Central Europe, through delivery of top quality defence industry products. I am convinced that our cooperation will bring peace to our nations.
The joint effort undertaken by the PGZ Group’s state owned company and the Ukrainian Ukroboronprom state-owned umbrella company has been going on for many years now, nonetheless up until recently, only individual company-to-company agreements were the foundation for the shared initiatives, involving the companies belonging to both of the aforesaid industrial groups. The memorandum signed during the MSPO event is to systematize the cooperation at the level of the PGZ and Ukroboronprom umbrella companies, facilitating the further industrial activities.
Poland and Ukraine jointly pursue numerous programmes that are complementary, or the states may work together effectively if complementary expertise exists. PT-17 main battle tank is a good example here, fusing the Ukrainian upgrades of the T-64 and T-72 main battle tanks, with the PT-91 and PT-16 programmes pursued by Poland. The cooperation also includes guided missile systems and laser-guided artillery rounds.