UKRAINE: The NATO secretary general has requested members of the transatlantic military alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, to issue ammunition production for Ukraine after warning that Vladimir Putin would initiate new offensives and attacks.
Stoltenberg said, “We see no signs that President Putin is preparing for peace. We see the opposite; he is preparing for war, new offensives and attacks.”
Supplying fighter jets to Ukraine has been on NATO’s agenda, as mentioned by the NATO defence minister, Stoltenberg, but has not been “the most urgent issue now”.
“The urgent issue right now is to deliver what has always been promised namely armoured vehicles, including German Marders and US Bradleys, Leopard battle tanks and others. We need the training, the equipment, the ammunition, and that’s exactly what allies are now providing and will be a top issue at the meetings here at NATO.”
Lloyd Austin, US defence secretary, mentioned to a different meeting of Ukraine’s allies that these urgent requirements are essential whilst the ongoing war. He said, “We believe there’ll be a window of opportunity for them to exercise initiative.”
“The Kremlin is still betting it can wait us out, but one year on, we are as united as ever. That shared resolve will help sustain Ukraine’s momentum in the crucial weeks ahead,” he added.
Ukraine uses approximately 6,000-7,000 artillery shells each day. As supplies keep decreasing, NATO has been providing Ukraine with war ammunition out of its stock. Oleksii Reznikov says that it is absolutely necessary to protect Ukraine’s skies by having sufficient ammunition and adequate training.
NATO has stated that due to the decrease in the supplies, the waiting time for large calibre ammunition has augmented from 12 to 28 months.
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