Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that he was working with Argentina and its president, Javier Milley, to set up a joint arms production project.
Zelensky said: remarks Speaking at a press conference with Latin American journalists in Kiev, he said he was working with Milley to develop joint production of weapons parts, drones and explosives.
“And it has to be rapid and broad-based technical cooperation. We have no other choice, and in this regard Argentina can be an important partner,” Zelenskyy said.
During the press conference, one of the reporters said, “A country like Argentina, which has no weapons and is in a serious economic crisis, [could] What to do for Ukraine?
“Friendship starts with the economy. Of course. Ukraine could potentially have significant economic exchanges with your country,” Zelensky replied. “Argentina may not be able to provide us with weapons because it does not have an expanded military industry, but thank God there will be no war.”
“But when we talk about the security of Ukraine, as far as the development of the defense industry is concerned, we are also talking about the security of your country and your continent,” he continued. “We want to develop the region so that there is no war, not so that there is a war.”
The Ukrainian president said officials from the two countries discussed other possible security cooperation areas, including the development of drones and electronic defense systems, as well as explosives manufacturing, which Zelenskiy said his country lacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends the third Crimean Platform summit in Kyiv, Ukraine on August 23, 2023 (Elchin Erturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
“For many years we have not been very open with our Argentine colleagues, but now we are ready to carry out such production both in Ukraine and in Argentina,” Zelenskyy said. “We are ready to cooperate, to jointly produce and to share the technologies that Ukraine has already acquired in this war.”
After nearly two decades of socialist rule that saw Argentina ideologically aligned with Russia, China, Iran and other rogue regimes, President Milley has undergone a dramatic shift in foreign policy. Since taking office in December, Argentina has repositioned itself to be one of the few countries in the region to actively support Ukraine amid ongoing Russian territorial aggression. Milley’s support stands in contrast to the leftist authoritarian regimes in the region that have relentlessly backed Moscow in the conflict.
President Milley and President Zelenskyy reportedly held a 20-minute telephone conversation shortly after President Milley’s November 2023 election victory, in which they agreed to hold a peace summit between Latin American countries and Ukraine, hosted by Argentina, in 2024. President Zelenskyy was one of the world leaders who attended President Milley’s December 10 presidential election. Inaugurationinvited Milley to visit Ukraine.
Last week, Milly Reportedly The Swiss government has confirmed that it will take part in the Ukrainian Peace Summit to be hosted in the city of Bürgenstock on June 15 and 16. Published In March, Millay suggested he was planning a solidarity trip to Ukraine in late June as part of a wider European tour.
Argentine President Javier Milley leaves an event in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jan. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)
Another reporter reportedly asked Zelensky, “Why did you choose Argentina?”
“There are no big or small countries. Latin America has a strong voice in UN General Assembly resolutions and political decisions because Latin America is a very powerful region in the world,” Zelenskyy replied.
“Economic crises come and go,” he continued. “What matters is national unity and influence. And influence matters to us at the moment.”
Zelenskyy was also asked whether Ukraine supports Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands, a group of South American islands that it claims as its territory in the Spanish name. Malvinas Islands.
“Ukraine supports the territorial integrity of all states and has always said so,” Zelensky responded. “I also want to emphasize that, whatever the territorial issue, we should always do everything possible, even the impossible, to ensure that bullets and missiles do not go off.”
“We must always work on diplomacy to make sure that war does not happen. We live in war,” he continued. “Whatever the conflict, whatever the slogan, we must do everything we can to make sure that war does not happen. To never fuel the issue of seizing other countries’ territory, to never fuel this issue.”
In 1982, the Argentine dictatorship of General Leopoldo Galtieri invaded and occupied the islands, but then the British government under Margaret Thatcher sent an expeditionary force, sparking a 74-day war in which Argentina surrendered to the British. In 2013, over 90% of the islands’ population Selected A referendum decides to remain part of the UK.
Millay publicly Pledged Argentina wants to “reclaim” the islands from the UK through diplomatic means but stresses it will be a “long process”.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan author documenting life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter. here.
