National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov has predicted that Ukraine and the United States will continue military-technical cooperation, including on the supply of lethal weapons.

"We needed four years to convince our partners that we should begin to cooperate in matters of lethal weapons. But the first step has already been taken, and I think this relevant issue will also be discussed at the end of this year. When planning the budget for next year, we will talk about more serious interaction systems and projects, in particular air defense," Turchynov told journalists in Kharkiv on Wednesday.

When asked whether lethal weapons were supplied from the United States to Ukraine in addition to the Javelin anti-tank missile systems, in particular, small arms and ammunition, Turchynov said: "Ammunition, sniper rifles - such weapons can formally be bought in a military store, you know. When we talk about weapons, these are weapons that can be used to systematically defeat an enemy. These are already anti-tank missile systems. This is serious military assistance. Of course, there was help in the form of radar systems that can locate an enemy."

Turchynov also stressed that he would like Ukraine to maintain military-technical cooperation with its strategic partners without any restrictions.

"There can be no restrictions in military-technical cooperation between Ukraine and our strategic partners. This is the logic of the reforms we are conducting in the Armed Forces, in other bodies. This is a transition to NATO standards, etc. I am convinced that this movement must be reciprocal," he said.