Why Ukraine still cannot sell weapons: Belbas explains what hinders export

Ukraine has set a course toward opening up arms exports, but the corresponding mechanism has not yet been put into practice. The implementation of the decision is being hampered by problems with government resolutions, bureaucratic procedures, and changes in the global security situation.

In an interview on 24 Channel, CEO of Ukraine Armored Vehicles, Vladyslav Belbas, spoke. According to him, changes are most likely to be introduced to the resolution, after which the export mechanism will be able to start working.

Resolution on export not working yet

At the beginning of July, the government adopted a decision intended to regulate the export of Ukrainian weapons, including drones, components, and accessories. However, according to Belbas, the document currently does not allow the mechanism to be fully launched.

Right now this resolution is not working. The problem is that they wanted to approve a resolution that regulates drone supplies, components, etc. But they included fairly large export duties, and the text states that they apply to absolutely all products we have in Ukraine,

— he noted.

There are also questions about the practical implementation of the document. Currently, market participants do not have a clear understanding of how exactly the provided mechanism should operate. In Belbas’s view, it will most likely start working after certain changes are adopted.

Nevertheless, it is important to understand that the strategic course toward opening up export remains. According to the head of Ukraine Armored Vehicles, this is something the president of Ukraine spoke about last autumn.

However, the implementation of this decision was affected not only by domestic bureaucratic processes but also by changes in the global security situation, especially in the Middle East.

Why the Gulf countries are of interest to Ukraine

Separately, Belbas drew attention to the possibility of supplying Ukrainian interceptors to Gulf countries. He stated that the war in the Middle East demonstrated these states’ need for a large number of air defense assets.

At the same time, potential export of Ukrainian interceptors could have significance not only economically.

Belbas explained that the region has substantial stocks of missiles for American Patriot systems. If some of the interception tasks could be performed by Ukrainian systems, this could potentially allow more American missiles to be allocated to replenish Ukraine’s stocks.

If we were to supply our interceptors there and they were used instead of Patriot missiles, that would be prudent for us. After all, the Americans would not be sending those missiles for stock replenishment to them, but to us,

— he noted.

That is why the issue of opening up Ukraine’s arms exports is complex: it is simultaneously affected by internal regulation, bureaucratic procedures, and the international arena.