Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on September 9 met with the head of Turkish defense firm Baykar and praised the company’s contributions to the Ukrainian armed forces.
Zelenskiy met with Haluk Bayraktar, the CEO of Baykar, whose Bayraktar TB2 drones have been used to destroy Russian artillery systems and armored vehicles since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February.
The focus of the meeting was Ukraine's further cooperation with the company to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Ukrainian Army, the president's press service said.
Zelenskiy and Bayraktar also discussed the details of the construction of a Baykar factory in Ukraine, Zelenskiy said in an online post after the meeting.
Zelenskiy's press service said the president presented Bayraktar with the Order of Merit, first degree.
In return, Zelenskiy received a traditional embroidered Ukrainian shirt featuring a drone.
"Everyone in Ukraine knows what Bayraktar is, knows your company," Zelenskiy said, according to his press service. "Thank you, to President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan for your support and the support of the citizens of Turkey in this war against Russian aggression," he added.
Bayraktar drones have been in service with the Ukrainian Army since 2021. After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian military used them to destroy Russian equipment, and the deliveries of Turkish drones have caused displeasure in Moscow.