Second Freedom Summit opened in London: Ukrainian Defense Innovation Forum kicked off
On September 8, the second Freedom Summit, an international platform dedicated to strengthening democratic alliances in the areas of security, defense, and technology, began in London. This year, special attention is paid to Ukraine: the event includes the Ukrainian Defense Innovation Forum, organized with the support of the National Association of the Ukrainian Defense Industry (NAUDI).
According to Censor.NET, this was reported on the association's Facebook page.
During the opening of the forum in London, Deputy Chairman of the National Association of the Ukrainian Defense Industry Serhiy Vysotsky emphasized the uniqueness of the audience, including Ukrainian veterans, who gathered to discuss security issues and cooperation between the defense sectors of Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
"I think it's a great honor to be here today with those who went through a real war. This is the only full-scale war of our century. To be able to thank these people is the highest privilege for us," Vysotskyi emphasized.
He also noted that the purpose of the Ukrainian delegation's visit to London is to deepen the dialogue between the defense industry of Ukraine and the United Kingdom. According to Mr. Vysotskyi, the British contribution to supporting Ukrainian defense in recent years has been and continues to be impressive.
"We have a great opportunity to establish contacts with the leading companies present here and to continue cooperation during the upcoming defense exhibition," he said.
In his speech, Vysotskyi emphasized that Ukraine's security is a component of the security of the whole of Europe and the Western world:
"There are forces that seek to destroy the values we believe in - democracy, human rights, dignity. These are Russia, China, and Iran. We must confront these challenges together. And only by joining forces, sharing our experience, innovations and the collective energy of our countries will we be able to preserve these values and win," he concluded.
In his speech at the International Defense Summit, Vladyslav Belbas, CEO of Ukraine's largest defense company, Ukrainian Armor, thanked the partners for their support of Ukraine's security and defense sector.
"Today's summit is dedicated to defense production. I represent one of the largest defense companies in Ukraine and would like to thank the organizers, in particular NAUDI and Borderlands, for hosting this important event, as well as our European partners for their support and cooperation," said Belbas.
According to him, European countries have become not only allies for Ukraine, but also partners in the development and production of modern weapons.
"We are here to deliver a clear message: only together, only with a strong metal fist, can we stop the aggressor. Ukraine has a unique war experience. We can share our knowledge on how to organize production in combat conditions, taking into account all the threats of the modern battlefield. And these are the technologies we want to discuss today," he added.
Belbas also emphasized the role of the defense industry as a critical element in the security system not only for Ukraine but for Europe as a whole.
During his opening speech, Stefan Fule, former European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy and former Minister of European Affairs of the Czech Republic, recalled his experience of cooperation with Ukraine and warned European colleagues about the threat of repeating the mistakes of the past.
"In my career, I have dealt with many challenging tasks, but the most crucial for me was the period when I was responsible for enlargement and neighborhood as a member of the European Commission. I helped the countries of Eastern Europe realize their dream of becoming part of a civilized Europe built on the rule of law and democracy," Fule said.
He recalled how, back in the days of President Yanukovych, he felt two "striking realities": on the one hand, Ukraine's genuine desire to move towards the EU, and on the other hand, the complete lack of understanding by political elites of the scale of reforms.
The former European Commissioner drew parallels between the mistakes of NATO and the EU. He recalled the Bucharest NATO Summit in 2008, where Ukraine and Georgia received the promise of future membership but did not receive a Membership Action Plan (MAP), which, in his opinion, was a fatal signal for Putin.
"We promised a light at the end of the tunnel, but we didn't give them the tools to get there. Putin then asked: "Do you really want this artificial country, Ukraine, to become a NATO member?" Half of the room laughed, the other half didn't realize that he wasn't joking. Soon he attacked Georgia, and we saw what he meant," he emphasized.
Fule called for the EU not to repeat the same mistake:
"You can't promise the Eastern Partnership countries just an association or a deep and comprehensive free trade area and leave them at the door. This is only partial membership, without institutions. If we don't give these countries a real membership perspective, we risk repeating the old mistake of getting them to the door again, but not letting them in," the former European official concluded.
