Ukrainian ballistic missiles: Why are allies hesitant to provide support?

The President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of Sweden at a press conference in Uppsala, Sweden. Photo: AFP

According to RT, Ukraine is striving to develop ballistic missile systems, but its Western allies are not very enthusiastic about the idea. Speaking on national television, leader Volodymyr Zelensky stated that partners fear Ukraine could become a formidable competitor in the military field.

"I am trying to promote this idea – a very complicated matter, because nobody wants a strong rival. Not only Russia, but for understandable reasons, other parties also do not want to see the appearance of Ukrainian ballistic missiles. The reasons lie in business interests and competition," the Ukrainian leader stated.

Alongside missile development, Zelensky also revealed that Ukraine is researching the creation of a European-level ballistic missile defense system. However, this large-scale project requires the cooperation of international partners. To date, only Sweden has officially joined.

The Ukrainian leader expressed his hope that this coming summer, through various conference formats, Kyiv will successfully persuade other allies to join in resolving this complex military challenge.

Earlier in April, the Chief of Staff of the Ukrainian President, Kirill Budanov, mentioned the country's lagging position in arms production. According to him, Ukraine's so-called "super defense technology" actually does not possess any domestically produced components.

"Even the 3D printer used to manufacture most of the components for the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) isn't ours. Neither are the printing materials inside. We are simply the users," the official said.

Budanov sadly recalled the past, about 20 years ago, when Ukraine was a powerhouse in tank and missile manufacturing, but has now lost that capability. Throughout the four years of conflict, Ukrainian factories did not produce a single new tank.

Missiles are a rare exception, but they also come with numerous problems due to a shortage of domestic components. Critical electronic platforms, interchanges, and machine assemblies all have to be imported, but allies are refusing to sell them to Kyiv.

Western countries themselves do not highly regard Ukraine's defense industry. For example, in late March, Armin Papperger, CEO of the German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, likened Ukraine's UAVs to "Lego toys" or "housewife's products," offering little practical value to the Western military.

Military experts believe that Europe is genuinely concerned about the security consequences. Supporting Kyiv in acquiring ballistic missile systems capable of reaching major cities like Moscow or Saint Petersburg risks a serious escalation of the conflict.

Source: https://baonghean.vn/ten-lua-dan-dao-ukraine-vi-sao-cac-dong-minh-e-de-ho-tro-10338853.html