A lack of foreign aid from Western allies has made life “very difficult” for Ukrainian fighters, desperate President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said late Monday.
Zelenskiy and other officials repetition European countries have expressed frustration at the slow delivery of promised aid, even as they struggle to find enough reserves to meet Kiev’s demands.
In Washington, $60 billion worth of aid is currently awaiting approval by Congress, much to the ire of Ukraine’s leadership, which is calling for the release of U.S. taxpayer funds as a matter of urgency.
The package faces resistance from House Republicans.
Is it a threat?Zelenskiy warns Ukrainians in Europe could take ‘unexpected’ actions if Western aid is cuthttps://t.co/EAtH5PhNmo
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) September 13, 2023
According to the Associated Press, President Zelenskiy said in his speech that Russia is building up its forces at several points along its 930-mile front, apparently aiming to exploit defensive weaknesses.
“They (Russians) are taking advantage of the delay in aid to Ukraine,” he said on Monday after visiting a command post in the Kupiansk district of northeastern Kharkiv region.
He said Ukraine’s military is acutely aware of the lack of artillery, air defense systems and long-range weapons, according to the Associated Press.
Related: Shakedown!Biden and Zelenskyy demand more Ukrainian funds from Americans
White House / YouTube
Last weekend, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka. There, they fought a fierce Russian attack for four months despite being severely outnumbered and outgunned.
Oleksiy Danilov, chairman of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, acknowledged that although the situation on the battlefield is difficult, especially due to ammunition shortages, the situation on the Eastern Front is not catastrophic.
“We have fought and will continue to fight,” he told news agency Ukrainska. pravda. “The only thing we ask of our partners is arms, ammunition and air defense support.”
Meanwhile, Sweden, which aims to join NATO, announced on Tuesday it would donate $681 million worth of military aid to Ukraine, news agency AFP reported. report.
President Zelenskiy tells Britain: ‘The world is no longer paying attention to Ukraine’ and is ‘divided’ by the Middle East https://t.co/Nzs5lBfrSn pic.twitter.com/9GTZPlgMjc
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) November 16, 2023
The package includes artillery shells, air defense, boats, underwater weapons such as mines and torpedoes, as well as training for Ukrainian soldiers. The latest tranche is Sweden’s 15th aid package to Ukraine and the largest to date.
canadian government Said More than 800 drones will be dispatched to Ukraine as early as this spring, officials said Monday. These are part of previously announced C$500 million ($370 million) in military aid to Ukraine.
AP contributed to this report
