Kyiv Says It's Cutting A Deal To Produce Weapons In NATO Territory

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has confirmed that negotiations are ongoing to start the production of weapons and ammunition in NATO territory to support Kyiv’s military offensives to kick out Russian invaders but declined to elaborate on the matter, Kyiv Independent reported.

Photo Insert: Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

The news comes as US Defense Department press secretary Pat Ryder said on Nov. 29 that the US has no plans to give Ukraine Patriot missiles “right now” but the matter is being discussed.

The Pentagon is discussing “a wide variety of capabilities and support with Ukraine,” including Patriot air defense systems and advanced HIMARS rockets, CNN also reported.

Germany will supply Ukraine with 14 unmanned ground vehicles, seven of which are designed for evacuating casualties and will be delivered by the end of 2022. The other seven, configurated for route clearance, will arrive in Ukraine next year.

Slovakia also handed over 30 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. In return, Slovakia will receive 15 Leopard 2 tanks from Germany.

The US will also ship $53 million worth of equipment for its energy system, including distribution transformers, circuit breakers, surge arresters, disconnectors, vehicles, and other electricity grid equipment, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said on Nov. 29.

The US administration is debating debates whether to declare the private military company Wagner, controlled by close Vladimir Putin's ally Yevgeny Prigozhin, a foreign terrorist organization or not, Bloomberg reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.

Such a decision would allow the U.S. to initiate criminal prosecutions against the group and its members, as well as seize its assets worldwide. The final decision on this has yet to be made, according to the sources.

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