US still refuses to transfer ATACMS to Ukraine
The administration of US President Joe Biden refuses to transfer long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, despite requests from Kyiv and pressure from US lawmakers.
Source: The Washington Post referring to unnamed US officials
Details: The representatives of the Pentagon and the presidential administration said that there had been neither changes nor substantive discussions on this issue over the past few months.
The Pentagon believes that Ukraine has more pressing needs. The Pentagon also fears that sending long-range missiles to Ukraine would seriously undermine US readiness for potential conflicts.
Officials said the number of ATACMS in the US arsenal should remain fixed until they are replaced by the next generation of longer-range PrSM missiles. They are expected to enter service by the end of this year.
The Washington Post reported that Lockheed Martin company produces 500 units of ATACMS annually, but they are intended for sale to other countries.
Background: New York Times reported that US President Joe Biden's administration is having a "quiet" debate about whether to send Ukraine ATACMS long-range tactical missile systems.
At the same time, during the NATO summit in Vilnius, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that during his talks with US President Joe Biden, he had raised the issue of providing Ukraine with ATACMS, but no agreements had been reached.
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