United States Plans to Transfer Weapon Systems from Turkey to Ukraine

The US State Department has informed Congress of plans to transfer American weapon systems currently located in Turkey to Ukraine. This deal includes 12 M270 MLRS rocket launchers, along with ATACMS missiles and thousands of shells. According to official Congressional documents reviewed by news agencies, the deal definitively involves the transfer of 12 launchers and 2,524 M26 unguided rockets, equipped with dual-use cluster munitions. It also encompasses 47,000 M509A1 203mm shells, also fitted with dual-use cluster munitions. Furthermore, the agreement includes the transfer of 70 ATACMS M39 missiles. This transfer is slated to be carried out through collaborations with private Turkish companies such as MKE, ASFAT, and ARCA Savunma, in addition to the private Bulgarian company VTIC International Ltd., and private American firms like Pansophico and Patriot Defense Group. This initiative is part of a US strategy aimed at bolstering Ukraine's military capabilities amidst the ongoing combat operations with Russia. Russia, on the other hand, views the arms supplies to Ukraine as impeding a peaceful settlement and directly involving NATO countries in the conflict, describing it as "playing with fire." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously stated that any shipments containing weapons for Ukraine would become legitimate targets for Russia. The Kremlin also affirmed that the pumping of weapons into Ukraine by the West does not contribute to negotiations and would have a negative impact on any potential future peace talks.