Ukrainian Coup President Petro Poroshenko during his visit to the IDEX-2015 Arms Expo in Abu Dhabi. (© AP Photo / Kamran Jebreili)

During his visit to Abu Dhabi, UAE on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced that he had signed a weapons deal with the Persian Gulf nation, without providing any more details.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced the signing of a deal on military and technical cooperation with the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, during his visit to the IDEX-2015 Arms Expo in Abu Dhabi.

The president told reporters that he had signed a “very important memorandum about military and technical cooperation” with his UAE counterparts, without providing any more information on what the agreement will entail. The deal was struck between Ukrainian officials and UAE Crown Prince and Armed Forces Deputy Supreme Commander Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.

Commenting on the signing of the agreement via Facebook, advisor to Ukrainian Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko noted that while “the types and numbers” of weaponry “cannot be discussed on Facebook,” it is “worth emphasizing that unlike Europeans and Americans, the Arabs aren’t afraid of Putin’s threats that a third world war may start if weapons and military equipment are provided to Ukraine.” Noting that the UAE has blamed Russia for the fall in oil prices, Gerashchenko adds that this deal “is going to be their little revenge.”

Source: Sputnik International

NATO Expands Military Buildup in Eastern Europe

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NATO’s plan to open six new command centres in Eastern Europe is being hailed by Balkan experts as a sign that the region is not being ignored.

Defence ministers from the 28-member military Alliance agreed on February 5th to set up command and control units in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania.

The move came “in the light of the changing security environment to the east and south of the Alliance’s borders,” a NATO statement said.

The new centres “in six of our eastern Allied countries” ensure that “we have the right forces, in the right place, at the right time,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

“Our decisions make clear that NATO is determined to defend all Allies against any threats from any direction,” he added.

Full story at: Southeast European Times