Ukraine's declining arms stockpile raises concerns in the U.S. - Bloomberg
Kyiv • UNN
The administration of US President Joe Biden is growing increasingly frustrated with delays in funding aid to Ukraine, Bloomberg reports.
The administration of US President Joe Biden is becoming increasingly frustrated with Republicans in Congress and European allies who are delaying funding for Ukraine's fight against russia. Bloomberg reports citing sources, UNN reports.
Details
Citing U.S. officials, the newspaper writes that aside from the $60 billion in military aid still pending in Congress, the U.S. has no "plan B" to help Ukraine. One of the sources added that European leaders should overcome the delays and use the proceeds of blocked sovereign russian assets to help Ukraine. European countries should also respond urgently to Ukraine's request for more Patriot air defense systems from their stockpiles, another person said.
A National Security Council official said Congress must act. Last month, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that "I don't think we need to be talking about Plan B today" and that congressional approval has already been delayed.
The publication quotes the head of the European Command, General Christopher Cavoli, who told the House Armed Services Committee that Ukraine is already rationing artillery shells that may run out. According to Cavoli, the russians "outnumber" the Ukrainian side 5 to 1, and this ratio will increase to 10 to 1 in "a matter of weeks.
Based on my more than 37 years of experience in the U.S. military, if one side can shoot and the other cannot shoot back, the side that cannot shoot back loses. So the stakes are very high
The United States insists that the G7 use the proceeds from the $280 billion in blocked russian assets to quickly raise additional funds, for example, by issuing bonds to help Ukraine. But several European Union countries, including France and Germany, have so far opposed such a move.
