NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived today on a surprise visit to Kyiv, where he gave a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
Stoltenberg said NATO member states had failed to deliver promised aid to Ukraine on time. “Severe delays in support created serious consequences on the battlefield” for Ukraine, he said, quoted by the Associated Press.
„Lack of ammunition allowed the Russians to advance on the front line. The lack of air defenses allowed Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of depth strike capability allowed the Russians to concentrate more forces, Stoltenberg said. Zelensky said new supplies have already started arriving, but at a slow pace. “The process must be accelerated”, he urged.
In recent weeks, the Russian armed forces have been able to make limited advances, particularly in the Donetsk region, due to their superior firepower. The Ukrainian army was forced to withdraw from three villages in the eastern part of the country, AP notes. Ukraine's Western partners have repeatedly stated that they will support it “as much as necessary”. However, vital military aid from the US has been delayed for six months due to political disagreements in Washington, and Europe's military-industrial complex is still unable to keep up with demand.
Kiev will need the extra help as Ukrainian officials warn that Russia is building up forces for a major summer offensive.
„Russian forces are unlikely to achieve a deep breakthrough of operational significance in the short term,”, the Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War predicted yesterday. Stoltenberg said that more weapons and ammunition are on their way to Ukraine, including missiles for the Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems.
Ukraine and NATO have reached the highest level of relations since our independence, but not yet the highest possible level.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 29, 2024
And this is exactly what we discussed today with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. We also talked about countering Russian aggression, further… pic.twitter.com/fQdwmyHKL2