US arm Ukraine

Ukraine's president, Petro Porosenko, has trumpeted the June 20th visit as an important sign of Washington's support for Ukraine under Donald Trump's administration, especially after Trump has not yet met Russian President Vladimir Putin since coming to the helm of the White House.

The two publicly announced but still unconfirmed defence agreements on paper during Poroshenko's trip would facilitate the sale of military equipment and promote joint research.

Two framework agreements will be signed soon, said Denys Gurak, deputy chairman of external economic activity in Ukroborprom, a conglomerate of Ukrainian defence companies.

Ukraine needs equipment ranging from radar systems, planes and safe communications, as it struggles with a separatist uprising supported by Russia in the Donbas region that has killed more than 10,000 people and has sent relations with Moscow to a free decline.

The first agreement aims to free Ukraine's access to the US defence market, accelerating the process with which Ukraine can buy equipment such as drones or radars.

The United States has so far rejected Ukraine's demands to supply lethal weapons, while Porosenko, questioned by journalists on the issue, overlooked the question. Both agreements do not cover the issue of deadly weapons.

A second agreement to sign is for joint research and defence development. Ukraine envisions receiving US funds for the development of new military technologies.
This agreement will also pave the way for some parts of US weapons to be produced in part in Ukraine”, Gurak said, the Ora News reports.

The “agreements will show that we are a strategic partner for America in the” defence complex, Gurak said in an interview for Reuters.