According to Kiev, military aid to Ukraine promised by the West arrives later than promised in half of the cases. “Commitments do not mean deliveries at this point,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said today at a discussion forum in Kiev, on the second anniversary of the start of the war. “50% of promises are not fulfilled on time.”
Delays in deliveries will put the Ukrainian army at an additional disadvantage “in the mathematics of war,” Umerov continued. Especially given Russian “air superiority”, this means “loss of life, loss of territory”. The Ukrainian army is trying “everything possible and everything impossible” in the fight against Russian aggressors, the minister said. “But non-timely deliveries are hurting us.”
The Russian army invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022 on orders from President Vladimir Putin. After more than a year of stalemate fighting, Moscow is now returning to the offensive, especially in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly suffering from a lack of ammunition in fighting due to a lack of military aid.
US aid blocked
US support is crucial for Kiev. In Washington, however, a new aid package for Ukraine worth 60 billion dollars (around 55.7 billion euros) has been pushed for months by the Republican opposition in Congress, at the behest of former President Donald Trump, who wants to run for re-election in blocked November.
Despite the blockade in Washington, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was convinced that the US would continue to support his country. “We are deeply convinced that the US will not give up financial and military aid to Ukraine,” he said at the discussion forum in Kiev.
According to Kiev's Ministry of Industry, the country's weapons production tripled last year. A “significant increase in ammunition production” is planned for this year, he said. 500 companies are currently active in the country's defense sector, including 100 state-owned companies and 400 private companies.