Ukraine Poised To Sign Raft Of Defense Contracts With Allies - Minister

Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said Wednesday the country would soon sign a batch of contracts with the United States and other allies on sales of various military equipment and weapons

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th April, 2019) Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said Wednesday the country would soon sign a batch of contracts with the United States and other allies on sales of various military equipment and weapons.

"We are in talks with our partners in the US and other countries on the purchase of air defense and anti-tank weapons, electronic warfare and surveillance equipment ... I think the ministries will sign the first direct contracts soon," he told reporters.

Poltorak added that the Defense Ministry also planning to strike agreements to overhaul its fleet of warplanes.

The Ukrainian parliament passed a bill in January that authorized the Defense Ministry to buy military equipment directly from other governments to streamlining defense procurement.

Russia has repeatedly warned against supplying the Ukrainian government with lethal weaponry, saying this would escalate the conflict in the east. US President Donald Trump reversed the policy of his predecessor in 2017, sending Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine.