According to Business Insider, European countries are starting to change their support strategies for Ukraine, shifting to supporting the country in self-producing weapons instead of continuing to transfer them directly from reserves, in the context of the entire continent being constantly urged by US President Donald Trump to increase defense capacity.
Military experts say that this direction will not only help Ukraine reduce its dependence on international aid but also contribute to promoting Europe's defense industry.
According to Jacob Funk Kirkegaard from the Bruegel Research Institute and the Peterson Institute, wealthy Western European countries will benefit both financially and economically if they support Kiev in expanding its arms production, as Ukraine currently has low production costs and a rapidly growing defense industry.
shifting the focus of arms production to Ukraine not only helps Europe save costs and support allies, but also creates conditions for weapons to be tested and improved right on the battlefield. Mr. Kirkegaard affirmed that this was a "dual benefit".
Regarding current production capacity, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had achieved self-production of about 40% of the weapons used on the front, and restarted many factories since the Soviet era.
In February, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov also declared the country the world's largest strategic and tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) maker.
Meanwhile, according to the Royal United Services Institute in the UK, the European defense industry still faces difficulties due to legal barriers and lack of coordination, limiting production expansion capacity.
RAND Europe expert Jacob Parakilas said that increasing domestic defense output will take time. However, the Ukrainian defense industry has already been strongly mobilized, so it can be effectively supported through direct investment and technology transfer.
The coordination between Europe and Ukraine not only helps increase output but also creates a resonance effect, as Ukraine's practical experience contributes to perfecting understanding of Europe, while financial resources from Europe help Ukraine expand production.
