European Parliament Proposes to Transfer Seized U.A.E.-made Armored Vehicles to Ukraine

European Parliament is deliberating the potential transfer of impounded U.A.E.-made BATT UMG armored off-road vehicles, originally meant for Libya, to Ukraine.

The brainchild of Dutch Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Bart Groothuis, this initiative has garnered significant attention within the parliamentary chambers.

This proposal traces its roots back to the culmination of 2022 when the European Union's military mission IRINI, an operation dedicated to preventing violations of the United Nations arms embargo on Libya, executed a high-seas interception. The subject of this interception was the cargo vessel MV Meerdijk, located off the shores of South Africa. Onboard this vessel were 41 BATT UMG armored off-road vehicles, originating from a factory in the United Arab Emirates and destined for Benghazi, a coastal Libyan city under the control of General Khalifa Haftar, a figure not internationally recognized.

Promptly, the cargo was seized and relocated to a secure facility situated near Marseille, France. The inventory amassed in this facility amounted to no fewer than 146 military vehicles, all slated for Libya in blatant contravention of UN sanctions.

MEP Groothuis champions the cause of transferring these impounded armored vehicles to Ukraine, a proposition that has won support from influential MEPs, including Guy Verhofstadt. Groothuis emphasized the significance of this move, stating, "The confiscated vehicles are a significant achievement for the IRINI mission, and it is both equitable and imperative that we expedite their transfer to Ukraine. With the ongoing conflict in Ukraine becoming a war of attrition, this conveyance of nearly 150 vehicles will send an unequivocal message to Russia, signifying Europe's unwavering commitment."

An official from the IRINI mission corroborated to RTL Nieuws that the legal framework allows for the transfer of the impounded vehicles to Ukraine. However, the final verdict on this matter rests with the European Council.

Of particular interest in this proposal are the 41 BATT UMG armored vehicles, products of the U.A.E., which the MV Meerdijk had tried to deliver to Libya in October 2022.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have already incorporated BATT UMG armored vehicles into their arsenal. Presumably, these armored vehicles were acquired by Ukraine itself and not transferred as defense assistance.

In a similar vein, in June of the previous year, reports emerged that The Armored Group, a U.S. company, had secured an order amounting to approximately $23.2 million, encompassing 100 BATT UMG vehicles slated for delivery to an undisclosed Eastern European nation.