Russia Seeks Explanation From U.S. and Turkey Over Reports of Possible Arms Transfer

By Reuters Aug. 15, 2026 United States President Donald Trump, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the 2026 NATO Leaders Summit in Ankara. NATO Russia has asked Washington and Ankara to explain reports of possible plans to transfer to Kyiv a "substantial arsenal" of U.S. weapons and ammunition held by Turkey, the spokeswoman for Russia's foreign ministry said on Saturday. Such a transfer would cause "serious harm … to our bilateral relations with Washington and Ankara," spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. Turkey requested permission from Washington last week to send Ukraine tens of thousands of artillery projectiles and cluster munitions rockets that had sat in Ankara's stockpiles for decades. They were produced under a 1987 license from the United States. Neither the U.S. nor Turkey is a signatory to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which prohibits the use, sale and export of classes of weaponry that scatter explosive submunitions across a wide area. Human Rights Watch warned that around 40% of these so-called bomblets fail to explode after dispersal, meaning they become "de facto anti-personnel landmines" that can injure civilians long after an end to the conflict. Washington re-enacted a moratorium on exporting cluster munitions every year between 2009 and 2023, when President Joe Biden bypassed the rule to transfer the weapons to Ukraine. Read more about: Foreign Ministry , Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Scolds Ally Armenia for Hosting Zelensky Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also warned Yerevan against pursuing closer ties with the European Union. 2 Min read Russia Tells Foreign Embassies in Kyiv to Evacuate as It Warns of ‘Retaliatory’ Strikes The Foreign Ministry said Russia would target the capital city if Ukrainian attacks this week disrupt annual Victory Day celebrations. 2 Min read Russia Slams Ukrainian-European Plan for Peacekeeping Force "All such units and facilities will be considered legitimate military targets," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. 3 Min read Russia Will End Ukraine War Only on Its Terms, Lavrov Says Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said peace negotiations must “produce a firm and sustainable result that suits the Russian Federation.” 1 Min read