Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Volodymyr Yelchenko, said that Ukraine is importing at least three shipments of weapons from the United States this year.
In his interview with "Den" (The Day) Newspaper, Yelchenko said that:
“Last year, we had the first case of direct purchase by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine from the United States of Javelin anti-tank systems. This was the first batch of non-aid, namely the purchase of weapons in the United States. As far as I know, an agreement is being prepared to extend such purchases. There are some other types of weapons, defensive ones, which are especially important today in Donbas. We are talking about at least three large parties and I will not specify, but this is being done and I think that these purchases will be made during this year.”
Yelchenko said that the end of 2019 witnessed reaching some mutual understanding between the Pentagon and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence that there was a need to strengthen naval security, in the Azov Sea and Black Sea. Most of the funds allocated by the US to aid Ukraine will finance Ukraine's Naval Forces.
The ambassador added that last autumn, Ukraine received two Island boats. It is also planned to deliver three more ships of the same type in 2020; although the pandemic might slow down the process, but will not remove it from the agenda.
