Minister Kotromanović meets withe Ukrainian Defence Minister

The two ministers discussed the main topics related to the bilateral defence co-operation, military-technical co-operation, with special attention given to the existing projects – the  MiG 21 and the Mi-8 aircraft currently overhauled in Ukraine.

Minister Lebedev stressed that he himself supervised the overhaul in course to ensure high quality of the work done. He informed the Croatian delegation that three fighters were ready to be delivered and that it would be completed in a few days.
 
The following day Minister Kotromanović and the rest of the delegation visited the “Odesaviaremservis” Overhaul Department to check the works carried out on the MiG 21 aircraft.As an extension of the discussion on the possibilities of combining the military industries of the two countries and of joint appearance in third markets, the delegation was also received in the „Ukrspecexport“ State Company, which belongs to the state concern of 134 defence-specialised industries.

The bilateral meeting also touched upon the current political situation in Ukraine, in the light of the very recent course of events following the unexpected decision by the President Viktor Yanukovych to refuse to sign of the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement with the European Union at the upcoming summit of the EU with the East Partnership to be held in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Minister Lebedev stressed that it did not mean Ukraine has renounced to the membership in the European Union but is a temporarily halt due to the possible economic implications the Agreement for the Ukraine’s economy.