JSC Ukrzaliznytsia and the Swiss company Stadler CIS AG have signed a memorandum of cooperation and localization of production of passenger rolling stock in Ukraine.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, the document was signed by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Strategic Industries Oleh Urusky, acting chairman of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia Ivan Yuryk, acting board member of Ukrzaliznytsia Oleksandr Pertsovsky, chairman of the board and CEO of Stadler CIS AG Peter Spuhler and CEO of Stadler CIS AG Alexander Luft.

The report notes that according to the memorandum, the parties will jointly make efforts to develop passenger rail transport in Ukraine and attract funding. In addition, if Stadler CIS AG wins one of the tenders and receives an order for the supply of rolling stock for Ukrzaliznytsia, the company plans to consider the possibility of localizing production in Ukraine.

"We are interested in cooperation with the world manufacturers of railway rolling stock, we have proven ourselves in work on other railways of the world, including on a wide track. One of such potential partners is Stadler, which supplied rolling stock for the Belarusian railway. But our main condition of such a partnership is invariable - localization of production on the territory of Ukraine. After all, this is the attraction of additional funds to the economy and the development of heavy industry in our country," Yuryk said.

According to him, trains produced by Stadler can be used in suburban and regional passenger transportation, as well as in City Express projects.

"This year, the Ukrainian railway industry received the maximum budgetary support for the renewal of passenger rolling stock - the purchase of about 100 passenger cars and the modernization of the railway infrastructure. But in this regard, it is also extremely important to ensure the maximum level of production localization, which will create additional jobs for people and will give an impetus to the development of our economy. I welcome the start of cooperation between Ukrzaliznytsia and the Swiss company Stadler. We expect positive results of cooperation," First Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Dmytro Abramovych said.