Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Slovakia for its support in defence matters, including the provision of air defence systems and aircraft to Ukraine. President Zelenskyy confirmed the signing of the contract for the production of 16 Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers. The artillery systems will be manufactured by Kontrukta Defence, a Slovak defence company and subsidiary of the DMD Group.
Although specific details about the contract have not been disclosed, it is worth noting that in October 2022, Germany, Denmark, and Norway signed an agreement to collectively fund the production of 16 Zuzana 2 artillery systems for Ukraine. The reported value of this contribution is approximately EUR 92 million.
Defence Industry Europe previously reported that in June 2022, Ukraine had signed a contract for eight Zuzana 2 artillery systems, all of which have already been delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The final howitzer was sent in January 2023.
In addition to the howitzer acquisition, the defence industries of Slovakia and Ukraine will collaborate on the development of a new artillery system and the production of ammunition. Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová stated that Slovakian enterprises would also assist Ukraine in mine clearance operations.
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