U.S. Looks to Involve Ukraine in Missile Defense

The United States is hoping that Ukraine will join its missile defense effort, the Associated Press reported yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 26).

Officials from Washington and Kiev have met on several occasions to discuss the matter, said U.S. Brig. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly, deputy director of the Missile Defense Agency.

“We are exploring how we can continue to work with them,” he said.  “They are a very adept country with a tremendous background in missile technology” (Associated Press I, Jan. 30).

Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said there had been no offer from the United States regarding his country’s potential involvement in the U.S. missile shield, RIA Novosti reported.

“I haven’t heard of such an issue.  As far as I know, it doesn’t exist,” he said (RIA Novosti, Jan. 30).

Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatoly Gritsenko also denied reports that he was conducting negotiations on a possible deal, ITAR-Tass reported.

“These reports are totally wrong,” the Defense Ministry press service said yesterday.  Gritsenko “did not put forward any initiatives concerning Ukrainian-U.S. cooperation in missile technologies and defense” (ITAR-Tass, Jan. 30).

Meanwhile, legislators in Poland plan in coming days to begin consideration of the U.S. offer to place 10 missile interceptors in their country, AP reported.

“This is certainly a topic which should be discussed by all parliamentary parties,” said Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

Washington also hopes to place a radar system in the Czech Republic (Vanessa Gera, Associated Press II/Daily Comet, Jan. 30).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.