Manufacturing weapons in Ukraine will be three times cheaper and faster than in the West – former head of Finnish intelligence

The best way to overcome the arms deficit in the European Union is to invest in production in Ukraine, where it will be three times cheaper and faster than in the West. This opinion was expressed in an interview with LIGA.net by Pekka Toveri, former head of Finnish intelligence (2019-2020), retired general, and Member of the European Parliament.

"I would say that the best way to fill the European [arms] deficit is to invest in Ukrainian industry. During the war, the capacity of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex has increased 35-fold," he noted.

And although Ukraine's production capacity has become much larger, its government does not have enough money to fully "load" it, Toveri noted.

Therefore, according to the former military officer, the easiest option for Europe is to invest in Ukrainian defense enterprises.

"Ukrainian production will be three times cheaper and three times faster than Western production," the former head of intelligence emphasized.

He also noted that the EU needs to improve the standardization of defense products.

For example, in Europe there are 14 different types of 155-millimeter caliber ammunition (NATO standard) that are not compatible with each other – meaning that having only one type, it will not be possible to fire from certain artillery systems, Toveri explained.

"This is an issue that we must first agree on within Europe, and then with Ukrainian manufacturers. In other words: we have finally decided – this is the standard model we all want to use from now on," the MEP noted.

• In July 2024, Denmark ordered 18 "Bohdanа" artillery systems from Ukraine for the Armed Forces of Ukraine – and they were delivered to the military in September. The Kingdom's Minister of Defence noted that in Europe this would take several years. Denmark was the first to start purchasing weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Ukrainian manufacturers, and this format of cooperation between Kyiv and its partners has been called the "Danish model".
• In the same interview, Tovery stated that with the shelling every night and the civilian casualties, the Russians want to "break the back of the Ukrainian people" and force Ukraine to surrender and make peace on the terms of dictator Putin, but they will not succeed.