US ambassador: Ukraine to get Javelin anti-tank systems for free
US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch reported that the US government will provide Ukraine with weapons, including Javelin anti-tank systems, free of charge.
“Last year the [US Presidential] Administration decided to provide Ukraine with additional defensive capabilities. So far, there are no details on how this will be done. We, like Ukraine, have a certain procedure for implementing these decisions, we must inform Congress of how it will be done. And only once we go through this procedure, we can begin to implement it,” the diplomat told RBC-Ukraine in an interview.
Yovanovitch was unable to clarify whether it was true that Ukraine would not be permitted to use this lethal weaponry in the ATO zone.
“The details are still being worked on. And we are working not only according to our internal process with Congress, but also through negotiations and coordination with the Ukrainian government. However, I once again emphasize that it will be defensive weaponry,” she added.
When asked whether the weaponry would be supplied by the US government or whether Ukraine would make contracts with independent weapons manufacturers, Yovanovitch responded: “We are talking about defensive aid provided to Ukraine by the United States government. Commercial contracts and commercial sales are another matter entirely.”
When asked to clarify whether Ukraine would receive this lethal weaponry entirely free of charge, she responded: “Yes.”
At the end of November, BuzzFeed reported with references to sources in the US government that Donald Trump may propose a program of military aid to Ukraine to the value of $40-50 million, but does not want to help for free.