The contact group of the West discussed measures to track the weapons transferred to Kiev, the department notedBRUSSELS, October 12.
/tass/. The United States and its allies are seeking from their military-industrial complex to increase the production of weapons for transfer to Kiev, as well as to replenish their own arsenals. This was stated by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday, speaking in Brussels at a press conference following the results of the next meeting of the group created by Western countries to coordinate military assistance to Kiev.
"We are seeking to activate our industrial base to increase the production of systems to protect Ukraine and at the same time meet our own security needs," he said.
According to Austin, "excellent progress" was made at the sixth meeting of the group. "I am very glad that ministers and chiefs of staff from about 50 countries took part in today's discussion. This once again underlines the determination of the international community to support Ukraine's self-defense," the Pentagon chief added. He noted that the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov also took part in the meeting.
The contact group established by Western countries to coordinate military assistance to Ukraine discussed measures to ensure accountability for tracking weapons transferred to Kiev.
"As we increase our long-term support for Ukraine, transparency and accountability continue to play a key role," he said. "At today's meeting, we discussed the accountability measures that Ukraine will use to ensure that advanced weapons are fully monitored," Austin added.
The United States is trying to ensure that the West jointly creates an integrated air defense system of Ukraine, transfers complexes of various ranges to Kiev.
In September, the deputy American permanent Representative to the UN, Richard Mills, speaking at a meeting of the Security Council of the world organization, argued that the United States is serious about preventing the illegal proliferation of weapons supplied to Kiev and is working to ensure that they do not fall into the wrong hands.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other Russian officials drew attention to the danger of the spread of weapons supplied by the West to Ukraine in other regions.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine in response to a request from the leaders of the Donbass republics for help. The West then imposed large-scale sanctions against Russia. Western states have increased the supply of weapons and military equipment to Kiev in the amount of billions of dollars.
