Volunteer Prityla Calls for Practical Export Opportunities for Ukrainian Private Defense Manufacturers

In Ukraine, there exists a pressing necessity to establish genuine opportunities for the export of military goods and technologies produced by private manufacturers. This initiative would enable the country to maximize the short-lived period of high demand for Ukrainian products and facilitate the scaling up of the defense industrial complex (DIC) within Ukraine. Such sentiments were expressed by volunteer and public figure Serhiy Prityla.

Prityla emphasized that this could become a significant advantage for Ukrainian companies. He stated, "This could be 'our' contract. For Ukrainian companies. If the export permit for Ukrainian military goods and technologies announced a few months ago was not merely a declaration of intent but a territory of real actions," he commented in a Facebook post, referencing Germany's procurement of drones from the arms consortium Rheinmetall worth EUR 2.4 billion.

According to Prityla, who has engaged with numerous manufacturers, the situation regarding exports has yet to progress beyond mere declarations of intent. He remarked, "The Interagency Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation and Export Control is an entity that potential exporters often sigh over the most," highlighting that the commission, which includes representatives from nearly twenty institutions, faces challenges in decision-making at a time when the market and geopolitical situation globally demands prompt responses.

Prityla also pointed out that fewer complications arise with the regulation of exports from state defense enterprises; however, their products, with some exceptions, have limited demand in the international market. He stressed, "Ukrainian manufacturers have the opportunity not only to sell goods and technology but also to provide practical expertise to these solutions," emphasizing the potential that could bring billions of dollars.

The public figure underscored the importance of swiftly responding to changes in global trends. "And this is about very many billions of dollars. Which we can direct towards purchases of what we do not produce in Ukraine. By 2027, we will be left alone to admire our drones and technologies. The world is learning quickly. We need to establish ourselves and earn while we are the best in the world. It will be too late afterward!" Prityla urged.

It is worth noting that in February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky approved a new composition of the Interagency Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation (MTC) and Export Control, which aims to launch controlled exports of Ukrainian weapons to the markets of partner countries. Earlier, in January, the Ukrainian Arms Manufacturers' Council conducted a survey among its members, weapon manufacturing companies, which revealed that about 30% of enterprises registered with the Ukrainian export control service, marking the first step towards entering the international market.

According to information on the website of the Serhiy Prityla Foundation, last year, the fund's contributions to support the army amounted to 2.40 billion UAH. In 2024, the fund raised 2.18 billion UAH, of which 1.85 billion UAH was allocated to military purposes, and 0.33 billion UAH was directed towards humanitarian efforts. This indicates active support for the Ukrainian army and the importance of attracting additional resources to strengthen the country's defense capabilities.