Ukrainian defense minister to visit South Korea

A Ukrainian delegation led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is set to visit to request weapons aid, according to an informed source, Report informs via South China Morning Post. Analysts expect Seoul to take a cautious stance on the plea following Donald Trump’s election victory and Moscow’s repeated warnings against such actions.

The group was expected to meet South Korean counterparts “as early as Wednesday” and present a wish list that included anti-air missiles and artillery pieces, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A spokesman for South Korea’s defense ministry declined to comment.

Doo Jin-ho, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defence Analyses, noted that while South Korea was a global leader in conventional weapons production, it was likely to tread carefully on the matter.

“South Korea will listen to Ukraine’s request but is unlikely to make a clear commitment to providing weapons,” Doo said.