Vladimir Putin ‘not preparing for peace’: NATO chief warns Europe is running out of ammunition to help Ukraine fight back with Russia ‘prepared for new offensives’
- NATO chief warns Vladimir Putin of ‘new offensives and new attacks’
- Jens Stoltenberg told the military alliance that West was running low on ammunition
- He called on all 30 countries to step up supplies to support Ukraine’s “war of attrition”.
The West is at risk of running out of ammunition, the NATO chief said yesterday, while also warning that Vladimir Putin was preparing for “more war” in Ukraine.
Jens Stoltenberg told the 30 countries in the military alliance that they must step up supplies to ensure Ukraine can hold back against Russian aggression.
Speaking ahead of a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, the former Norwegian prime minister said: “This has become a grueling war of attrition and therefore a logistical struggle. This is a tremendous effort by the Allies to actually be able to obtain the ammunition, fuel and spare parts needed.’
He added: “We see no signs that President Putin is preparing for peace. What we’re seeing is the opposite, he’s preparing for more war, for new offensives and new attacks.’
Ukrainian officials say Moscow is planning a much broader offensive in the eastern Donbass regions, but also new attacks on Kharkiv in the northeast and Zaporizhia in the southeast of the country. It comes after a British citizen died in Ukraine.
Jens Stoltenberg told the 30 countries in the military alliance that they must step up supplies to ensure Ukraine can hold back against Russian aggression
Ukrainian officials say Moscow is planning a much broader offensive in the eastern Donbass regions, but also new attacks on Kharkiv in the northeast and Zaporizhia in the southeast of the country. Pictured: Ukrainian soldier near the destroyed Retroville shopping mall
The identity of the person – the eighth British citizen to die in the conflict – is not yet known, but her family has been informed, the Foreign Office said.
Ukrainian forces fire around 6,000 artillery shells a day, much faster than their Western allies can replenish them.
Russia uses up to 20,000 rounds a day, equivalent to what European factories can produce in a month. However, no decision has yet been made on the delivery of Western fighter jets to the Ukrainian military.
Kiev has urgently requested air support, which has met with mixed reactions from allies.
Oleksiy Reznikov, Ukraine’s defense minister, yesterday held up a picture of a fighter jet when asked what he wanted from the meeting aimed at providing the country with more weapons.
The US and UK have ruled out giving up jets for the time being, but Britain has announced a training program for Ukrainian fighter pilots.
Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said the Netherlands took Ukraine’s request for F-16 jets “very seriously”. Her Polish counterpart, Mariusz Blaszczak, promised to “put pressure” on other Western allies.
“We are aware that our potential in this area is limited because we only have 48 F-16 aircraft, but the allies have much more potential, so I think this conversation will end with positive decisions,” he said .
Ukrainian forces fire around 6,000 artillery shells a day, much faster than their Western allies can replenish them. Pictured: Ukrainian soldiers on patrol in Bakhmut
Russia uses up to 20,000 rounds a day, equivalent to what European factories can produce in a month. In the picture: Ammunition for a howitzer during training at a Bundeswehr base
Mr Stoltenberg insisted the aircraft issue “is not the most pressing issue right now, but it is an ongoing discussion”.
“Now it is urgent to deliver what has already been promised. The armored infantry fighting vehicles and other main battle tanks that were pawned,” he said.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said 15 NATO countries have promised to send main battle tanks to Ukraine and 22 are ready to provide infantry fighting vehicles. “The Kremlin is still banking on waiting for us,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not receive any concrete commitments for jets during his tour of London, Paris and Brussels last week.