Thread by @karolcummins

Erik Prince an informal adviser to Trump, is in discussions to purchase a Ukrainian aerospace manufacturer that the U.S. is trying to prevent China from buying it. 🙄

Fun fact: Prince’s company is half owned by the Chinese. wsj.com/articles/secur…

Prince is the ED & DC of Frontier Services Group, a Hong Kong- & Beijing-based private security contractor.

He has traveled a number of times to Ukraine, visiting at least nine times since the start of 2014, the start of the country’s war with Russia.

wsj.com/articles/secur…

Speaking to a collection of representatives from major U.S. aerospace companies, Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the Ukraine specialist on the National Security Council, stressed the importance of preventing the Chinese from acquiring Motor Sich.

wsj.com/articles/secur…

On a visit to Kyiv in August, John Bolton attempted to persuade Ukrainian President Zelensky to squelch Motor Sich’s purchase by a group of companies led by Beijing Skyrizon Aviation, which is controlled by Chinese businessman Wang Jing.

wsj.com/articles/secur…

📌A deal, if clinched by China, could also give Russia renewed access to Motor Sich engines.

📌In July, China said it planned to expand military cooperation with Russia to thwart what it called a growing threat from the U.S.

wsj.com/articles/secur…

Motor Sich has for years supplied engines for the bulk of the Russian military’s helicopter fleet.

After war broke out between Russia and Ukraine in 2014, Kyiv outlawed military exports to its neighbor, which ‘crippled’ Motor Sich’s biz

You can see where this is going...