U.S. security contractor in talks to acquire Motor Sich

Erik Prince, a private security contractor and informal
adviser to U.S. President Trump, is in talks to purchase Ukrainian aeronautics
manufacturer Motor Sich (MSICH UK), which the U.S. government is trying to
prevent a group of Chinese companies from acquiring, the wsj.com news site
reported on Nov. 5, citing U.S. officials briefed on the matter. The Trump
administration has approached Prince and at least one other potential buyer
from the private sector to acquire the firm that possesses sensitive
technologies. Prince has been meeting with Ukrainian officials in recent months
and visited the factory in Zaporizhia, accompanied by U.S. acting ambassador
William Taylor and Defense Department adviser Donald Winter.

Zenon Zawada: Once the news surfaced that the Trump administration opposes Motor
Sich’s acquisition by Chinese firms, it was apparent to us that the only real way to undermine that was
to recruit a U.S. buyer. So
it’s positive that there is competition to acquire Motor Sich and perhaps the
firm, and the Ukrainian government, can gain some perks – at least in the form
of credit and good will – for preventing the strategic company from being
acquired by the Chinese.