US to buy South Korea artillery shells ‘for Ukraine’

South Korea insists coverage in opposition to offering deadly help to Ukraine stays unchanged, and ammunition is for US use.

South Korean troopers put together 155mm howitzers throughout a navy train in 2013. The US plans to purchase 100,000 rounds of howitzer artillery from South Korean producers to offer to Ukraine, a US official stated [File: Lee Jin-man/AP]

Washington plans to purchase 100,000 South Korean-made artillery shells to be used within the Ukraine conflict, a United States official has stated, although South Korea has insisted its coverage in opposition to offering deadly help to Ukraine remained unchanged and it expects the top consumer of the ammunition to be US forces.

Citing US officers acquainted with the deal, the Wall Road Journal reported that the US and South Korea have been nearing an settlement to purchase 100,000 rounds of 155mm artillery shells that may be delivered to Ukraine.

A US official, talking on situation of anonymity, confirmed with Reuters information company on Friday that Washington needed to ship the South Korean artillery shells to Ukraine.

The official stated that Ukraine Safety Help Initiative (USAI) funds may very well be used to purchase  the ammunition, however that it was unclear whether or not the shells can be shipped by way of US territory.

The official warned that information of the talks being made public may threaten the deal.

Responding to stories on the ammunition deal, South Korea’s defence ministry stated on Friday that its place on not offering deadly help to Ukraine remained unchanged, and its “confidential” negotiations on the sale of the artillery shells have been being carried out “beneath the premise that the US is the top consumer”.

“As a way to make up for the scarcity of 155mm ammunition inventories within the US, negotiations are ongoing between the US and Korean firms to export ammunition,” the ministry stated in a press release.

South Korea’s Yonhap Information Company reported on Friday that the nation’s defence minister Lee Jong-sup and US Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin had “agreed ‘in precept’ to proceed with the artillery deal” throughout talks earlier this month.

“However the allies are having associated talks beneath the premise that the supplies shall be utilized by the US,” Yonhap reported, citing a press release from the nation’s defence ministry.

The ministry added that the South Korean authorities had not altered its dedication to chorus from supplying Ukraine with deadly weapons, Yonhap stated.

Putin warns Seoul

A US ally, South Korea has sought to keep away from antagonising Russia, for financial causes and due to the affect that Moscow can exert with North Korea.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol denied final month that Seoul had supplied any deadly weapons to Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that such a call would destroy their bilateral relations.

Putin made the comment at a convention in Moscow, accusing the West of inciting the conflict in Ukraine and warning South Korea in opposition to supplying weapons to Ukraine.

Putin equated such a transfer by Seoul to Moscow sending arms to North Korea.

“We’ve supplied humanitarian and peaceable help to Ukraine in solidarity with the worldwide neighborhood however by no means deadly weapons or any such issues,” Yoon advised reporters.

However, he added: “In any case, it’s a matter of our sovereignty, and I’d such as you to know that we try to keep up peaceable and good relations with all international locations around the globe, together with Russia”.

Seoul has supplied bulletproof vests, helmets and different non-lethal navy in addition to medical provides to Ukraine, however has turned down Kyiv’s requests for weapons, native media reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has known as on South Korea to offer weapons, which he stated can be “indispensable”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Thursday that Washington would offer a further $400m in arms, ammunition and different gear from the defence division.

“This drawdown will deliver the whole US navy help for Ukraine to an unprecedented degree of roughly $19.3 billion for the reason that starting of the Administration,” Blinken stated in a press release.

“The air defence, long-range, and precision fireplace capabilities that we're offering are fastidiously calibrated to finest serve Ukraine on the battlefield because it makes positive aspects from Kherson to Kharkiv,” Blinken stated.

“We'll proceed to assist Ukraine so it might defend itself and be within the strongest doable place on the negotiating desk when the time comes.”