If there is no US support, it means that we have no air defense, no Patriot missiles, no electronic warfare, no 155-millimeter artillery shells. This means that we will be going backwards, retreating step by step, in small steps. Also, without the support of Congress, there will be a big shortage of missiles. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with The Washington Post, according to UNN.
If there is no US support, it means that we have no air defense, no Patriot missiles, no electronic warfare, no 155-millimeter artillery shells. This means that we will go back, retreat step by step, in small steps
To describe the military situation, Zelenskyy took a piece of paper and drew a simple diagram of the war zone.
"If you need 8,000 shots a day to protect the front line, and you have, for example, only 2,000 shots, you have to fire fewer. How? Of course, by retreating. Make the front line shorter. If the frontline breaks, the Russians can go to the big cities," Zelensky said.
"We are trying to find some way not to retreat," Zelensky said.
After the Russian capture of Avdiivka in February, he said, "we stabilized the situation thanks to the smart steps of our military.
Зеленський: Україна змогла стабілізувати ситуацію на фронті28.03.24, 17:31
According to Zelenskyy, if the front remains stable, Ukraine can arm and train new brigades in the rear to launch a new counteroffensive later this year.
Zelensky summarized the reality of this zero-sum conflict: "If you do not take steps forward to prepare a new counteroffensive, Russia will. This is what we have learned in this war: if you do not do it, Russia will do it.
Asked whether Ukraine lacks interceptors and other air defense weapons to protect cities and infrastructure, Zelenskyy replied: "This is true. I don't want Russia to know how many air defense missiles we have, but you're right in principle. Without the support of Congress, we will have a big shortage of missiles. This is a problem. We are building up our own air defense systems, but it is not enough.
Addendum
The Hill reported that Democrats in the US Congress are ready to support a proposal to provide loan assistance to Ukraine.
Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson saidthat the priority for the US Congress is to approve the government's budget for the current year, but that additional assistance to Ukraine is being considered.