Topline
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Saturday urged European countries to expedite the transfer of weapons to Ukraine amid concerns over whether Ukrainian troops have sufficient arms and ammunition to fend off an expected offensive by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine in the coming days.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Saturday urged European … [+]
Key Facts
Podolyak tweeted that weapons from Europe are taking “too long to arrive,” and that Ukraine needs those weapons “now.”
A U.S. official told CNN there is growing concern over the prospect that Ukraine could lack ammunition to fight Russian troops, particularly artillery rounds, with heavy ground combat expected to take place in the coming days.
The official, who wasn’t named, said Ukrainian troops used “thousands of artillery rounds” a day during previous periods of heavy combat, and that the 40,000 artillery rounds the U.S. is sending to Ukraine to go with 18 towed 155mm howitzers—could be depleted within days.
While Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff, spoke highly of President Joe Biden for providing weapons to Ukraine, in an interview with the Atlantic published Friday, he expressed confusion about the slow arrival of weapons.
Key Background
Ukrainian troops have been able to fend off Russian troops thanks to military assistance by NATO and more than 25 countries. The U.S. has committed more than $2.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in late February, including $800 million in new military aid to Ukraine that Biden announced Wednesday. The European Union has allocated $1.6 billion to fund military aid from member countries to Ukraine.
Further Reading
Concern is growing over Ukraine’s ammunition inventory, according to US official (CNN)
The weapons and military aid the world is giving Ukraine (Politico)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisakim/2022/04/16/zelensky-aide-urges-europe-to-speed-up-weapons-transfers-amid-concern-over-ukraines-ammunition-inventory/