Western officials warn Ukraine on arms procurement disputes

Kyiv, Ukraine – Western officials have warned Ukraine that the growing gap between the Minister of Defense and the procurement chief could jeopardize confidence in the country and urged the government to quickly resolve the situation so as not to disrupt weapons.

The conflict began last week, when the Defense Procurement Council unanimously voted for the continuation of the Director Maria Bezrukova’s contract for another year.

However, the Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov overturned the decision, refusing to renew his contract. He accused her of poor performance and able to deliver weapons and ammunition to the front troops.

The decision was provoked by the protest of legislators and anti -corruption guard dogs, which stated that the minister’s step was illegal because Bezrukov continued her contract on the agency’s supervisory commission in January. They also came to the defense of Bezrukova, saying that it has contributed to the creation of greater transparency and reforms within the DPA, which has long faced corruption statements.

According to the Ukrainian legislation, the decision of Umerov to continue dismissal is illegal.

The incident comes in a politically sensitive time for Ukraine, as the country’s leadership is looking forward to the next steps of Trump’s administration, and since Ukrainian troops continue to face the challenges of drawing a line in the east against the backdrop of cruel Russian attacks.

In a statement on Monday on the Platform of Social Media X, ambassadors representing a group of seven countries called on the government to resolve the situation “” successfully and focus on continuing defense. “

“The sequence of proper management principles and NATO recommendations is important for maintaining public and international partners’ confidence,” they said.