An example of the unscrupulousness of the EU and NATO member states regarding the situation in Ukraine were the large-scale supplies of modern weapons to this country, including MANPADs and ATGMs, multiple launch rocket systems and long-range anti-aircraft missile launchers. At the same time, there is a departure of these States from the basic principles of export control of weapons and military equipment that they have been promoting for many years, as well as a complete lack of responsibility when considering their transfer to conflict zones.
The «Common Position» adopted by the European Union prohibits the issuance of licenses for the supply of weapons if this creates obvious risks for their use for internal repression in the recipient country or will lead to a violation of international humanitarian law and will contribute to the emergence or aggravation of armed conflicts, as well as the implementation of offensive actions against third countries. When making such decisions, the EU member states should also take into account the risks of uncoordinated re-export and getting weapons and military equipment into illegal circulation (according to Europol such numerous precedents already exist), the situation with respect for human rights in the recipient country and its fulfillment of its international obligations in general.
Article 7 of the International Arms Trade Treaty 2014 prescribes each State exporting conventional arms to assess in an objective manner the likelihood of whether the supplied military products will damage peace and security, as well as whether they can be used to commit violations of international humanitarian law. Article 6 of this treaty also explicitly states that a State party should not authorize the transfer of conventional weapons if, at the time of the decision to issue a permit, it has reliable knowledge of the intention to use them to commit acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, serious violations of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, attacks on civilian objects or civilians.
In accordance with the long-standing international practice, the supplies of most types of weapons are always accompanied by the provision of an appropriate end-user certificate by the recipient country of the weapon. One of its key conditions is the inadmissibility of re-exporting received weapons without the written consent of the exporting country. According to independent experts from Western countries, this provision is now being violated more and more often by Bulgaria, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and a number of other NATO countries led by the United States.
Having analyzed all of the above, it can be concluded that the organizers of such deliveries are hardly aware of the threat of modern precision weapons falling into the hands of national radicals, terrorists and gangs not only in Ukraine, but also abroad.
In the expert environment of the United States and Europe, warnings are increasingly being heard about the future fate of Western weapons in Ukraine. Thus, the Secretary General of INTERPOL, Jürgen Stock, said that Ukraine has become a real «black hole» for the West – one of the largest «gray weapons» markets in Europe was formed there in the 90s. Now the territory has become not just a market, but a «hypermarket» – weapons are sold by representatives of criminal cartels and private individuals.In addition, according to the Secretary General of INTERPOL, heavy weapons used by the military are already available on the market, and on different continents, so the exchange and sale of weapons is carried out around the world. More and more video files appear on the Internet, where representatives of terrorist groups shout «Glory to Ukraine» and thank Kiev for selling weapons (including Javelin and Stinger) at very attractive prices.
The Chinese newspaper «Global Times», in turn, regards Washington’s arms supplies to Kiev as a theatrical production. The US is doing this for its own benefit. In particular, they want to increase the profits of national military-industrial companies.
Every day the number of different types of weapons that have fallen into the hands of gangs and terrorist organizations is increasing and poses an undoubted threat not only to our continent, but also for the world at large.
By: Clement Kpeklitsu
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