Kyiv's proposal to use Ukrainian radar stations in the new U.S. missile defense architecture is a normal thing, said Ukraine's First Deputy Chief of the Presidential Secretariat and former defense minister Yuriy Yekhanurov.
“We have capabilities and we want to offer them, and if Russia
refused from them and does not want to pay, then maybe someone else
will,” Yekhanurov said on Channel 5 on Thursday evening, adding that in
this matter Ukraine “must have a pragmatic choice.”
The issue “is still very far” from being resolved, he said. “But the
very fact that something that we have should be used, particularly, at
the time when we are not so rich, I think the case is absolutely
normal,” Yekhanurov said.
The first deputy chief of the presidential secretariat would not
specify the possible sum of money Ukraine could get. “Let us find out
if this would be of any interest at all,” he said.
Commenting on Moscow’s statements expressing concern over the U.S.
missile defense talks with non-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty
Organization) members, Yekhanurov said: “We are a sovereign country. We
are a subject of international law and we make decisions on our own.
Ukraine always is transparent about the rules of the game, and
naturally we must inform Russia as our neighbor what we have agreed
about.”
Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oleh Shamshur said at a briefing on
October 15 that Kyiv and Washington are in talks over the use of
Ukrainian radar stations in the new missile-defense architecture in
Eastern Europe. “This issue is the subject of working discussions, so
far it is at quite an early stage,” he said.
Meanwhile, Russia has expressed concern over the U.S. missile
defense talks with the countries that are not part of the
North-Atlantic Alliance.
In 2008 Russia stopped using radars in Mukacheve and Sevastopol
after withdrawing from an agreement on operating missile attack early
warning and space control systems.
Dnepr radars in Sevastopol and Mukacheve are owned by Ukraine.
Experts estimate that the operation of these Ukrainian radars in the
context of their future integration in the global missile-defense
system is not possible without their modernization.
Modernization costs are estimated at 25% from the facility value.
