By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk
Russia says it is still waiting for Türkiye to explain a proposed transfer of U.S.-origin weapons from Turkish stocks to Ukraine, more than a month after Moscow first raised the issue publicly.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told reporters on Sept. 18 that Moscow had already put its questions to the Turkish side. "We are awaiting a response and appropriate clarification," he said, according to RIA Novosti and Interfax.
The weapons appear in two U.S. State Department notifications delivered to Congress on Aug. 3 and published in the Congressional Record three days later. Both name the Government of Türkiye as the party proposing permanent transfers to Ukraine of equipment already in its inventory.
One package covers 12 M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) launchers, 2,524 unguided M26 Dual-Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM) rockets and 47,000 M509A1 203 mm DPICM howitzer rounds. Their original acquisition value is listed at about $255.9 million.
The second notification covers 70 M39 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles valued at about $28 million at original acquisition cost.
Because the equipment is U.S.-origin, Türkiye needs Washington's consent before transferring it to a third country. The State Department told Congress that the U.S. government was prepared to authorize both transactions.
The congressional review period has now expired. The notifications said the transfers could take place immediately after that period ended. There is no public record that any of the weapons have reached Ukraine.
Stated reasons and named firms
The State Department said Türkiye wanted to reduce older defense stocks and put the money toward modernization and maintenance. Ukraine sought the systems for offensive and defensive fire support.
According to bianet's review of the transfer documents, the deliveries would involve Turkish state defense firm MKE and the U.S.-based companies Pansophico and Patriot Defense Group. The documents list acquisition values but not the commercial terms.
Moscow returns to its August request
Russia first raised the case on Aug. 15. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow had asked both Washington and Ankara for explanations after the congressional notifications appeared. She warned that any such deliveries would do serious damage to Russia's relations with the United States and Türkiye.
Zakharova also said Moscow regarded the plan as inconsistent with earlier Turkish assurances, as described by Russia, that Ankara would avoid supplying lethal weapons to Kyiv.
No Turkish reply has been made public. Cumhuriyet reported that RIA Novosti had asked sources at the Turkish Presidency whether such a request had been received, and that the sources said they had no information on the matter. The Turkish Foreign Ministry did not answer questions from Cumhuriyet on how it assessed the Russian statement or whether it would reply.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for about 90 minutes in Bishkek on Sept. 1 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief İbrahim Kalın also attended.
Before the meeting, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said the Black Sea and Ukraine would be on the agenda. Halk TV reported that official statements on the talks did not mention the weapons transfer. Grushko's remarks came 17 days after the meeting.
Black Sea shipping
Ankara and Moscow are also in contact over a Turkish proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea. A Turkish diplomat told AFP on Sept. 17 that Ankara had sent Russia and Ukraine a draft memorandum. Asked about it on Sept. 18, Grushko declined to comment but said the two capitals remained in regular dialogue on maritime security.
Ankara has pushed for maritime safeguards since early August. The Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Aug. 4 that drones had struck the Turkish-owned civilian vessels Yaşar and Nadezhda after they left Novorossiysk, injuring crew members including Turkish citizens. On Aug. 8, Fidan told Anadolu Agency that Ankara had called on both Kyiv and Moscow to set up a moratorium on attacks at sea.
Sources: U.S. Congressional Record, U.S. Department of State, Russian Foreign Ministry, RIA Novosti, Interfax, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anadolu Agency, AFP, Cumhuriyet, bianet, Halk TV, Bosphorus News review and reporting.