Senior Ukrainian officials have bluntly described what they need to prevail on the battlefield, speaking ahead of a meeting of western defence ministers on Wednesday that Kyiv hopes will speed up the delivery of military aid.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a leading adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, laid out a bold shopping list to tackle the main equipment shortages and repel Russian forces that are pounding Ukrainian soldiers with heavy artillery barrages in the eastern Donbas region.
“Being straightforward — to end the war we need heavy weapons parity,”
Podolak said on Monday, detailing what that meant in a tweeted list that included 1,000 155mm howitzers, 300 multiple-launch rocket systems, and 500 tanks.
Western countries have pledged copious amounts of the military as well as humanitarian aid since Moscow launched its assault on Ukraine more than 100 days ago. However, far less than those committed funds have been spent on military equipment, while logistics and training issues mean kit worth even less has arrived on Ukraine’s front lines.
“For months now, the US and other allies know the situation,” said Andriy
Zagorodnyuk, a former Ukrainian defense minister who advises the government on security, refers to Kyiv’s forces as having insufficient assistance to prevail. “I sincerely hope that we are going to hear something on
Wednesday. ”
The US has promised more than $42bn in aid to Ukraine