Arms supply accelerated ahead of Ukraine's counter-offensive, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamicu said, warning that the supply of weapons into any armed conflict raises significant concerns about the potential escalation of violence and the risks of diversion.
To prevent the diversion of weapons, supply chain transparency and cooperation and information exchange between importing, transit and exporting States is required,
she stressed, adding that the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms is a key instrument in this regard.
Max Blumenthal, American founder and editor-in-chief of The Grayzone news website, also addressed the meeting, saying that the US government is funding a proxy war that has become a threat to regional and international stability. Moreover, aid sent to Ukraine not only puts a heavy strain on the country's budget, but is largely decided behind the scenes without consultation, he noted.
The Grayzone recently published an independent audit of US tax dollar allocation to Ukraine throughout fiscal years 2022 and 2023. The investigation - led by Heather Kaiser, a former military intelligence officer and veteran of US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq - found a $4.48 million payment from the US Social Security Administration to Kyiv, as well as $4.5 billion worth of payments to the Zelensky regime from the United States Agency for International Development to pay off Ukraine’s sovereign debt, much of which is owned by the global investment firm BlackRock.
The audit also revealed the Pentagon’s $4.5 million contract with a notoriously corrupt company called "Atlantic Diving Supply" to provide Ukraine with unspecified explosives equipment.
The US Congress has failed to ensure these shady payments and massive arms deals are properly tracked, Mr Blumenthal pointed out, adding that the Biden administration knows it is escalating a proxy war against the world’s largest nuclear power.
The American journalist recalled, that back in 2014, President Barack Obama rejected demands to send lethal offensive weaponry to Kiev because he had a concern that arming Ukraine would provoke Moscow.
When Donald Trump entered office in 2017, he attempted to hold the line on Obama’s policy, but was soon branded a Russian puppet for refusing to send missiles to the Ukrainian military.
In January 2022, the US announced a $200 million arms package to Ukraine, Mr Blumenthal recalled. By the 18th of February, observers reported a doubling in ceasefire violations, with the overwhelming majority of targeted sites being on the side of the pro-Russian separatist population in Donetsk and Luhansk. A few days later, Russia invaded Ukraine.
