In a surprise trip to the Ukrainian capital, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin tried to rally support for Ukraine and even suggested that Ukrainian forces would be “even more aggressive” in their fight against invading Russian forces this winter.
Austin’s optimistic forecast about the next phase of fighting comes after Ukrainian forces failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough during a six-month counteroffensive that came at great cost to Ukrainian troops.
There is also deep concern in Ukraine about the longer-term future of U.S. military aid, and some Republicans want to end support.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Austin appealed to Congress to approve additional funding, calling it “a wise investment” in U.S. security.
“This is about … not living in a world where a dictator can one day wake up and decide to annex the property of his peaceful neighbor,” Austin told reporters in Kiev.
However, Ukraine’s ability to “take the fight to the enemy,” as Secretary Austin put it, will depend in large part on continued U.S. military assistance, including ammunition.
Partially completed 155mm artillery shells are seen during their manufacturing process at the BAE Systems factory in Washington, near Newcastle upon Tyne, northeast England, on November 8, 2023.
Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images
The Biden administration is working with Congress to craft a broader funding deal that would include additional support for Ukraine.
However, weapons supplies are under additional pressure due to the war in the Middle East.
Shortly before Austin’s trip, a Ukrainian official told ABC News that U.S. shipments of NATO-standard artillery shells to Ukraine had fallen “by more than 30%” since Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza began last month.
155mm artillery shells are arguably Ukraine’s most important ammunition in the fight against invading Russian forces, and some U.S. stocks intended for Ukrainian forces have been diverted to Israel.
U.S. officials have repeatedly claimed in recent weeks that supplying ammunition to Israel would have no impact on the war in Ukraine.
“They (U.S. officials) told us it would not affect (the U.S.) commitments, but it did,” a Ukrainian official said.
The official, who spoke to ABC News on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, said the stockpile of these vital artillery shells represents “approximately 60-70% of Ukraine’s total stockpile.”
Ukrainian soldiers fire artillery during an anti-drone exercise in the Chernigov region on Nov. 11, 2023.
Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images
However, a senior US defense official said the ammunition reduction had “absolutely nothing to do with what is happening in Gaza.” The president’s withdrawal of powers packages “are put together weeks in advance, so there is no connection between what is happening in Gaza and what is happening in Ukraine,” the official said.
During his trip to Ukraine, Austin announced a new $100 million security assistance package for Ukraine that included an unspecified number of these NATO-standard 155mm artillery shells.
The latest US military aid package is drawn from existing funds already approved by Congress. However, this pot of money is already running relatively low.
Late last month, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said he was “confident” that the United States could “continue to support both Ukraine and Israel.”
Although Russia receives a wide range of weapons from Western partners, it has key advantages on the battlefield, such as more artillery firepower, more explosive attack drones and superior types, as well as a larger number of fighter jets and attack helicopters.
In recent weeks, Russian forces have sought to seize the initiative on the battlefield by launching heavy attacks on Ukrainian positions in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine’s top general, Valery Zaluzhny, described the war as “in a stalemate” in a recent interview with The Economist.
Minister Austin stressed on Monday in Kiev that Ukrainian troops “have the means to fight successfully in the winter.”
However, the Ukrainian official, who spoke anonymously to ABC News, expressed real concern about U.S. arms supplies given the division in Congress.
“We are in big trouble… the basic supply of ammunition is not coming,” the official said.
The official warned that Ukraine risked losing its position on the battlefield “at a very high price.”