On Thursday, Europol spokesman Jan Op Gen Oorth told the dpa news agency that there was evidence of firearms and military goods from Ukraine being offered on the black market as well as evidence of illegal trade in heavy weapons.
"Europol is working closely with Ukrainian officials to mitigate the threat of arms trafficking into the European Union. We have full confidence in them as they implement new measures to monitor and track these firearms," a statement read.
The EU police agency continues to maintain close contact with the Ukrainian authorities as the situation in the country evolves, while Kiev is cooperating on cases of interest for EU security, according to the statement.
"Europol has warned that the proliferation of firearms and explosives in Ukraine could lead to an increase in firearms and munitions trafficked into the EU via established smuggling routes or online platforms. This threat might even be higher once the conflict has ended," the agency added.
On February 24, Russia began the military operation in Ukraine responding to calls for help from the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. The United States and its allies responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Russia while also ramping up their military support for Ukraine.
Moscow has repeatedly denounced the continuous flow of weapons to Ukraine from its Western allies, saying that it adds fuel to the fire. In April, Russia sent a note to NATO member states, condemning their military assistance to Ukraine. In July, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that foreign weapons supplied by the West to Ukraine ended up in illegal markets, not only in Europe but also in the war-torn Middle East.