Ukraine looks to jointly produce weapons with allies amid US arms freeze
The pause on some US shipments could deprive Kyiv of formidable systems such as air defence missiles and precision-guided artillery
Ukraine is forging ahead with early plans for joint weapons production with some international allies, top officials said, while warning on Wednesday of potential consequences of the US decision to halt some arms shipments promised to help Kyiv fight off Russia’s invasion.
“Any delay or hesitation in supporting Ukraine’s defence capabilities will only encourage the aggressor to continue war and terror, not seek peace,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said.
A renewed Russian push to capture more land has put Ukraine’s short-handed defences under severe strain in the all-out war launched by Moscow nearly 3½ years ago. Russian missiles and drones are battering Ukrainian cities. US-led diplomatic efforts to find a peace settlement have stalled.
Ukraine’s defence ministry said it had not received any official US notification of a suspension or revision of agreed arms delivery schedules. Officials have requested a phone call with their US counterparts to verify the status of specific items in the pipeline, it said in a statement.
As Washington – Ukraine’s biggest military backer – has distanced itself from Ukraine’s war efforts under US President Donald Trump, a bigger onus has fallen on European countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday held their first direct telephone call in almost three years. Macron’s office said that during their two-hour conversation, the French leader underlined France’s “unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and called for a ceasefire.