Pakistan Readies Another Weapons Shipment As Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba Visits Pakistan

Pakistan is readying another batch of weapons to be shipped to Ukraine as Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba arrives in Pakistan today (20 July).

According to a report by the Economic Times, a merchant vessel is currently berthed at Pakistan's Karachi port where the loading of over 200 containers worth of arms and ammunition is underway.

This consignment is expected to be delivered to Ukraine in the second week of August.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba arrives in Pakistan for an emergency visit to ask for more ammunition supply for the Ukrainian army, after reports of Ukrainian counter-offensive in losing steam, on account of widespread ammunitions shortages.

The shortage of ammunition is so acute that the US has to supply banned cluster munition to partly mitigate the weapons shortage.

Kuleba, according to reports, is expected to meet Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and military authorities.

Ukraine and Pakistan have had strong military relations in the past, so much so, that Ukraine has supplied Pakistan with more than $1.6 billion worth of arms, including 320 T-80 tanks.

Pakistan has, on multiple occasions, supplied artillery ammunition to Ukraine, since the start of Russia-Ukraine war.

According to reports, Pakistan last year served as an air-bridge where UK Air Force C-17 transport aircraft flew twice daily for three weeks, to deliver weapons to Ukraine, via Romania from Rawalpindi air base, Pakistan.

Pakistan, earlier this year, delivered another consignment containing 159 containers of 155 mm artillery shells, M4A2 propelling bag charges, M82 primers and PDM fuse to Ukraine, via Gdansk port in Poland.

Last month as well, Pakistan shipped a large consignment of equipment including air defence vehicles, multiple barrel rocket launchers, recovery vehicles and spare parts, to Ukraine, via Gdansk port in Poland, and Aqaba Naval Base in Jordan.

Pakistan has even opened a weapons trading branch in Warsaw — capital of Poland — to smoothen the weapons flow to Ukraine.