Ukraine is set to receive another shipment of Javelin anti-tank missile systems from the US — not as military aid, but as part of a foreign military purchase. This will be the first time such a deal has taken place.
This was reported on 15 October by Censor.net, citing a statement from former Ukrainian ambassador to the US, Valeriy Chaly, in an interview with LB.ua.
“Remember, the first batch of Javelin ATGMs came to us as aid. It was processed through financial mechanisms, but it was still direct assistance and didn’t require repayment. This current batch is a purchase — a foreign military sale. Why does this matter? Because it’s the first time we’ve reached the level of government-to-government sales. We’ve now reached a level of trust where barriers to buying weapons from the US are being lifted for us. I see this as a huge achievement. To get here, trust had to be built, systems reformed, and proof given that the new systems wouldn’t be corrupt, wouldn’t be handed over to the Russians, or captured by them,” he said.
“I agree with the American side’s statements that this won’t change the military balance, but it will save the lives of our soldiers,” he added.
“Right now, Ukraine is receiving significant support from the United States. Of course, it’s not on the same scale as Israel or other US allies, especially Egypt. However, we rank among the top recipients in this area. And this includes defence equipment and training programmes. We’ve put in a tremendous amount of effort to build this trust. The Pentagon is aware that the Ukrainian embassy has always been able to keep highly sensitive information under wraps to achieve specific outcomes. We’ve made a huge step forward. The Pentagon and State Department have already approved the purchase terms, and now it’s up to Congress to review them. And I’m hopeful for a positive outcome — that we’ll receive this shipment, which will then open up opportunities on an entirely different level for us. “And right now, we need some other modern systems,” the former ambassador concluded.