Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 24 February (HL4787) concerning arms to Ukraine, whether the armoured vehicles being supplied to Ukraine are capable of being armed with lethal weapons; and, if so, whether they have sought assurances from the government of Ukraine that it will not convert those vehicles for armed conflict.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence have purchased 75 Saxon armoured vehicles through a private commercial contract. The vehicles are unarmed with no offensive capability. Our Embassy in Kyiv are seeking confirmation from the Ukrainian authorities about whether they have plans to retrofit the vehicles but any subsequent decision to convert the vehicles is a matter for the Ukrainian government.