Ecuador cancels plan to trade Soviet weapons for US arms

Ecuador scraps plan to exchange Soviet weapons for US arms due to concerns over their potential involvement in the Ukraine conflict

President Daniel Noboa of Ecuador announced the government’s decision to cancel a plan involving the exchange of outdated Soviet weapons for new arms from the U.S. This decision came after it was revealed that the old weapons would have been sent to Ukraine.”

Noboa, facing significant challenges in national security with the declaration of 22 criminal gangs as terrorist groups, had initially announced in January that Ecuador would receive $200 million worth of new weaponry from Washington in exchange for what he referred to as “junk” arms.

“We were surprised to learn that the United States intended to use the arms for the conflict in Ukraine. We have no intention of participating in that conflict or facilitating the transfer of weapons for it,” Noboa stated. “Therefore, we are unable to proceed with the plan.”

The spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, a country that invaded Ukraine two years ago, had previously criticized the arms exchange.

“Russia holds the position of being our third-largest commercial partner,” Noboa emphasized.

Recently, Russia lifted a ban on banana imports from five Ecuadorean businesses after citing sanitary concerns with the shipments.

Source: Newsroom

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