In a sign of strengthening relations and as an acknowledgement of Pakistani help in terms of weapons shipments, Ukraine will supply spare parts of Mi-17 helicopters to Pakistan, reported Economic Times.

The spare parts and helicopter engines worth $1.5 million will be supplied by the Ukrainian company Motor Sich JSC to Pakistani armed forces.

The agreement to provide spare parts to Pakistan comes as a surprise, given that Ukraine is currently engaged in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and is experiencing a shortage of arms, ammunition, and spares and has been requesting several NATO countries for weapons supplies.

Earlier, reports emerged that the Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) has signed a deal worth $300 million with the UK Ministry of Defence to supply more than 200,000 122 mm rockets and weapons to Ukraine.

The rockets will be shipped out of the Karachi port and transported to the Ternopil oblast in Ukraine via Polish ports in Gdansk.

Pakistan is already shipping a significant number of arms and ammunition to Ukraine since the start of the war. It further plans to ship more than 230 containers of weapons to Ukraine.

Last year as well, the UK had airlifted supplies, arms and ammunition from Nur Khan Air Base Rawalpindi, Pakistan to a Romanian Air Base Avram Iancu Cluj for Ukraine, Swarajya reported.

Meanwhile, Pakistan will also receive the first shipment of discounted Russian oil by the early part of May from Russia.

Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik explaining the deal with Russia said "Our orders are in, we have placed that already" and that "we hope that the total volume of shipment might reach 100,000 barrels per day if the first transaction goes smoothly".

This adept diplomatic maneuvering has created a win-win situation for all nations involved. The Ukrainians and its Western backers are able to secure a constant stream of weapons supply, while the sanctions-hit Russia is getting buyers for its crude oil.

The Pakistanis, on the other hand, is getting cheap oil from Russia, spares for its Mi-17 helicopters from Ukraine, and removal from the FATF grey-list from Western countries, primarily the United States.

The removal of Pakistan from the FATF grey list allows Pakistan to receive an IMF bailout package, which has been a desperate cry of its economy.

Image courtesy: Representative image/PTI