US buys South Korean artillery shells for Ukraine, adds $400 million in aid
Washington plans to purchase 100,000 South Korean-made artillery shells for use in the Ukraine war, US officials said, but South Korea insists on not providing lethal aid to Ukraine. and expects the end user of the ammunition to be the United States military.
The Wall Street Journal, citing a US official familiar with the deal, reported that the US and South Korea are nearing an agreement to buy 100,000 rounds of 155mm artillery to be delivered to Ukraine.
A senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed to Reuters on Friday that Washington intends to send South Korean artillery shells to Ukraine.
Officials said funds from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) could be used to purchase ammunition, but it was not clear if the ammunition would be shipped from US territory.
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Officials warned that news of the negotiations going public could jeopardize the deal.
Following reports of the ammunition deal, South Korea’s defense ministry on Friday said it remained in its position not to provide lethal aid to Ukraine and that “secret negotiations” on the sale of artillery shells were conducted “on this basis.” But the US is the end user. ”
“Negotiations are underway between U.S. and South Korean companies to export ammunition to address the shortage of 155mm ammunition in the United States,” the ministry said in a statement.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Friday that South Korean Defense Secretary Lee Jong-Sup and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin “agreed in principle to proceed with the artillery agreement” at a meeting earlier this month. was.
Citing a defense ministry statement, Yonhap News Agency said, “However, the allies are holding relevant consultations based on the materials being used by the United States.
The ministry said the South Korean government had not changed its promise to refrain from supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons, Yonhap reported.
South Korea, a US ally, has sought to avoid opposition from Russia for economic reasons and Russia’s influence over North Korea.
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol denied last month that South Korea provided Ukraine with lethal weapons after Russian President Vladimir Putin said such a decision would destroy relations between the two countries.
Speaking at a conference in Moscow, Putin accused Western countries of instigating a war in Ukraine and warned South Korea not to supply Ukraine with weapons.
Putin compared Seoul’s move to Moscow to send weapons to North Korea.
“In solidarity with the international community, we have provided Ukraine with humanitarian and peaceful assistance, but never with deadly weapons,” Yun told reporters.
US buys South Korean artillery shells for Ukraine, adds $400 million in aid
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by News East India staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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