RT.com
18 Nov 2023, 01:44 GMT+10
The president has attributed the scarcity of 155mm rounds to the conflict between Israel and Hamas
Ukraine has received fewer artillery rounds since Israel launched its military operation against Hamas, President Vladimir Zelensky has claimed. He said that competition for munitions between countries has intensified, particularly for 155mm shells.
Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that the Pentagon had ramped up arms deliveries to Israel amid its campaign in Gaza. Elsewhere, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also recently warned Kiev that member states could no longer provide weapons from existing stockpiles.
Speaking to reporters in Kiev on Thursday, Zelensky noted that "our deliveries have decreased" and "really slowed down," as quoted by AFP.
"It's not like the US said: we don't give Ukraine any. No. It's just that everyone is fighting for [stockpiles] themselves," the Ukrainian leader clarified.
According to Zelensky, the situation has been aggravated because "now the warehouses are empty, or there is a legal minimum that a particular state cannot give you."
Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing an internal Defense Department list dated late October, that Washington had increased defense aid to Israel without publicly announcing the move.
Among the weapons being provided from the Pentagon's own stocks are 57,000 155mm high explosive artillery shells, the media outlet claimed.
Speaking to reporters ahead of an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Tuesday, Borrell said the bloc had already supplied more than 300,000 artillery rounds to Ukraine, depleting existing stockpiles. The foreign policy chief added that the bloc would now have to switch to domestically produced munitions to satisfy Kiev's demands.
His message was echoed by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who warned that Brussels would likely not be able to make good on its pledge to provide Ukraine with 1 million artillery rounds by next March. He attributed the supposed shortfall to insufficient production capacities in Europe.
With its months-long summer counteroffensive having failed to yield any significant territorial gains, Ukraine has lately doubled down on requests for yet more weapons and ammunition from its Western backers.
Russia has repeatedly stated that no amount of defense aid provided to Kiev can change the course of the conflict, warning that continued weapons supplies only serve to raise the risk of direct confrontation between NATO and Moscow.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Broadcast Communications news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Broadcast Communications.
More InformationNEW YORK, New York - Global stock indices closed with divergent performances on Tuesday, as investors weighed corporate earnings, central...
TORONTO, Canada: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced late on June 29 that trade negotiations with the U.S. have recommenced...
Vancouver, Canada: A high-stakes legal showdown is brewing in the world of athleisure. Lululemon, the Canadian brand known for its...
LONDON, U.K.: British oil giant Shell has denied reports that it is in talks to acquire rival oil company BP. The Wall Street Journal...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stock markets closed firmly in positive territory to start the week Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he was halting trade discussions with Canada due to its decision...
SHARJAH, 7th May, 2025 (WAM) -- The Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA) recently took part in the 76th World News Media Congress,...
New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): On the occasion of the approval of the new 'Khelo Bharat Niti 2025', Prime Minister Narendra Modi...
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 1 (ANI): The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) opens admissions for its first batch...
New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): In a significant step to bolster India's research and innovation ecosystem, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday...
Welcome to Wider Europe, RFE/RL's newsletter focusing on the key issues concerning the European Union, NATO, and other institutions...
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 30 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday participated in the Space Technology...