Text: Lidia Shevchenko
— Paragon Amega International has been working in the defense sector in various countries for many years. And now, this is your first visit to Ukraine. Why did you turn your attention to this market?
— The Ukrainian market is currently very interesting and promising. Ukraine has a large number of talented, young, and ambitious scientists and specialists in various fields, particularly in the defense industry. Therefore, Ukraine is a very attractive market for holding negotiations with various foreign companies interested in products of the military-technical sector.
— Before your arrival, you obviously studied Ukrainian products. How do you assess their quality?
— I am familiar with military products from different countries around the world, including the US and Europe. But after reviewing the products of the Ukrainian industrial sector, I would say that its output, especially in the defense sector, can not only be placed on par with Western counterparts, but some products, in terms of their performance and data, even surpass what European and American manufacturers currently offer.
— What will your cooperation with Ukrainian enterprises entail?
— I think it will most likely involve assistance in protecting intellectual property—specifically, direct patent protection of technologies in American and global markets—as well as connecting with various potential buyers of these products outside of Ukraine.
In addition, we can assist in the placement of Ukrainian defense sector specialists in various markets to train employees of local companies. For example, if companies are established in Middle Eastern countries, Ukrainian specialists could help by directly training local personnel to produce certain products. Moreover, I hope that in the near future, Ukrainian specialists in civil engineering will be in demand, as well as specialists in various local fields.
— In which countries could our military products be competitive?
— I would really like to see Ukrainian products be competitive in both European and American markets. However, at the present moment, I think these are still mostly countries in the Middle East and Africa.
— What products might be of greatest interest to foreign buyers?
— First and foremost, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), which are becoming increasingly popular and in demand in various countries around the world, as well as armored vehicles.
— During your visit, you met with several enterprises. Is there interest in cooperation?
— Yes, we met with several companies, and for certain reasons, we are not authorized to disclose their names. But the interest is very high. They want to sell their products not only on the Ukrainian market, but also have a large number of potential clients abroad.