Will US shutdown impact military aid to Ukraine? Foreign ministry weighs in
Photo: Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Media reports that the US government shutdown could affect negotiations on weapons supplies to Ukraine are not true, according to Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi.
"False. Ukraine-US drone deal talks are proceeding as planned and shipments continue to arrive," Ukrainian FM wrote.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Olha Stefanishyna, also denied this information.
"I receive many questions about how the US government shutdown could affect military support for Ukraine. At the moment, there is no direct impact. All planned deliveries in the coming days are continuing according to schedule," she said.
She added that the embassy continues to monitor the situation and maintains constant contact with American partners.
What the media reported
Earlier, The Telegraph reported that Ukrainian-US negotiations on weapons supplies could be frozen due to the US government shutdown.
According to the outlet, talks between Ukraine and the US on military aid and drone cooperation were put on hold after hundreds of thousands of federal employees were sent on forced leave. This, the Telegraph wrote, puts arms supply negotiations for Ukraine at risk.
Additionally, other Ukrainian delegations scheduled to visit the White House in the coming weeks on various matters are now reviewing their plans.
This includes the delegation negotiating a major drone deal, under which Ukraine plans to sell its own drones to the US.
