- July 30, 2024
- 6:56 pm
- World News
Putin, by provoking conflicts in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, has worsened relations with supposedly neutral countries. This has prompted them to begin negotiations with Ukraine on providing military aid.
If these negotiations are successful, Kyiv could receive Israeli Patriot air defense batteries, South Korean tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, as well as Argentine armored vehicles and artillery pieces.writes The Insider.
Israel: Russian support for Hamas has not gone unnoticed
The Insider reports that under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, relations with Russia remained fairly friendly, despite the annexation of Crimea and the war against Ukraine. Netanyahu used his connections with Putin in the election campaign and came to the Victory Parade in Moscow, and Putin spoke at an Israeli Holocaust memorial forum.
During the war in Syria, an understanding was reached: Russian air defenses did not interfere with Israeli strikes on IRGC and Hezbollah targets, and Russian aircraft could fly freely over the Golan Heights. Russian-made weapons in the hands of Hamas militants did not affect these relations.
However, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, Israel refused to provide direct military aid to Kyiv. Naftali Bennett, as Prime Minister, tried to mediate peace talks and refused to sanction Israeli arms supplies to Ukraine through third countries. Netanyahu’s return to the post of Prime Minister did not change the situation, and Israel limited itself to deploying a missile warning system in Ukraine.
Relations between Russia and Israel have deteriorated since the start of Israel's war with Hamas in October 2023, when Russia adopted a pro-Hamas stance. The Likud party began warning the Kremlin of possible consequences for supporting Hamas.
The Russian-speaking population of Israel mostly supports Ukraine, and the Israeli leadership is concerned about cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. Israel may transfer to Ukraine the Patriot air defense systems that it is decommissioning, and more modern systems such as the Iron Dome. It is also possible to transfer Spike ATGMs and licenses to produce reconnaissance drones.
Although Israel did not supply Kyiv with lethal weapons and did not allow third countries to do so, Israeli tactical radars RADA ieMHR have already been spotted with the Ukrainian military.
South Korea: Putin's visit to Kim changes mood
The Insider reports that since the start of the full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine, South Korea has supported Ukraine, joining sanctions against Russia and imposing its own restrictions in response to the supply of North Korean ammunition to Russia and Russian oil to the DPRK. South Korea provides humanitarian and financial aid to Ukraine, but has so far refused to supply lethal weapons in order to maintain relations with Russia.
However, the situation changed after Putin's visit to the DPRK and the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between Russia and North Korea. South Korean authorities threatened to reconsider their position on arms supplies to Kyiv and stated that they would begin supplying “the entire arsenal” to Ukraine if Russia transferred high-precision weapons or related technologies to the DPRK.
South Korea has weapons that can be transferred immediately, as well as a powerful defense industry. First of all, Ukraine could use the Soviet T-80U tanks and BMP-3s that South Korea received in the 1990s as payment for a Russian debt. The South Korean fleet of these vehicles could become a source of spare parts for the tanks and BMPs captured by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Seoul could also send Kyiv artillery ammunition and air defense systems, such as the Chiron MANPADS. South Korea could also produce its own weapons, such as the K2 Black Panther tanks, K9 Thunder self-propelled guns, and FA-50 trainer aircraft, which are already being supplied to Poland and Romania.
South Korea also produces the Cheongung-II SAM system, which has good anti-missile capabilities. The possible supply of even one or two batteries would significantly improve the protection of Ukraine's strategic facilities from Russian missile strikes.
With Russia needing North Korean ammunition and Soviet armored vehicles to fight the war, South Korea may have to follow through on its threats to supply weapons to Ukraine.
Argentina: Chooses the US, Not Russia
According to The Insider, Argentina's position on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has not changed directly because of the Kremlin. Putin congratulated the new Argentine President Javier Miley on his victory, hoping for a stronger partnership. However, Miley has set a course for North Atlantic integration, despite the ritual statements about the Falkland Islands. The main rhetoric of his government is aimed at rapprochement with the United States and Western countries. As The Insider notes, the Kremlin has become a hostage to its own propaganda, trying to impose a concept of confrontation with the United States in Latin America.
As part of the new policy, Argentina announced the transfer of Mi-17 helicopters to Ukraine and plans to supply Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard carrier-based attack aircraft, which cannot be used due to the British embargo. The Insider emphasizes that Argentina's capabilities for providing military assistance are not limited to aircraft. The country's arsenal includes more than 200 TAM medium tanks, American M113 armored personnel carriers, HMMWV armored vehicles, Italian OTO Melara Mod 56 artillery guns and Swedish RBS 70 MANPADS, which are already used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Given that a major military conflict with its neighbors is unlikely, Argentina may transfer some of its equipment to Ukraine. This will help strengthen cooperation with the West, especially if new equipment can be ordered in return from the United States and other NATO countries, The Insider notes.
Other “doubters”
According to The Insider, there are several countries that could provide military aid to Ukraine, but do not do so because of the “Russian factor.” For example, Japan became Ukraine’s largest financial donor in 2024, despite legislative restrictions introduced to prevent the “rebirth of Japanese militarism.” These restrictions do not allow direct military aid, but Japan has lifted some of them, which will allow the United States to supply PAC-3 anti-ballistic missiles for the Japanese-made Patriot air defense system to replace those being transferred to Ukraine.
India also supplies Ukraine with ammunition through unnamed intermediaries. The Insider notes that Indian artillery and tank ammunition regularly “shows up” in the arsenal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, although the Indian authorities officially deny these supplies. At the same time, India plans to replace more than two thousand BMP-2s with American Stryker armored personnel carriers, which could theoretically help Ukraine, since the Soviet-designed vehicles would be useful to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. However, these supplies are unlikely due to the policy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is trying to maintain relations with Russia.
The Insider also emphasizes that countries that supply weapons to Ukraine risk facing retaliatory measures from the Kremlin. For example, Ecuador abandoned plans to transfer Soviet weapons to the United States for Ukraine after Rosselkhoznadzor banned the import of bananas from that country, allegedly for sanitary reasons. After the refusal to supply weapons, the ban was lifted.
Some countries are not helping Ukraine not because of Russian influence, but because of wariness of the United States. Brazilian President Lula da Silva, for example, refused to attend a peace summit in Switzerland organized by Ukraine, despite diplomatic efforts by French President Emmanuel Macron. Brazil could offer Ukraine Super Tucano turboprops, or at least allow their re-export.
The Insider concludes that there are still significant untapped resources available globally for military aid to Ukraine. Unleashing these resources depends on diplomatic efforts by Kyiv and its international partners to offer potential suppliers favorable terms and guarantee protection from possible Russian retaliation.
