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Ukrainian units in the Donetsk region (on January 20)

Photo: Roman Pilipey / AFP

In the war against Russia, the Ukrainian army is increasingly lacking ammunition, according to a close adviser to US President Joe Biden. "We are receiving more and more reports of Ukrainian soldiers running out of ammunition at the front or even rationing them," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters on Wednesday.

The lack of deliveries of ammunition, air defense systems and other equipment will weaken the Ukrainians' position, he emphasized.

After a visit to the front, the new Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskyj described the situation as “extremely complex”. Accordingly, the armed forces lack men and weapons.

With each passing day, the “cost of inaction” from the United States is increasing for the Ukrainians, said Sullivan, referring to further US aid to Kiev blocked by Republicans in Congress. He called on Congress to vote “quickly” on a new aid package.

In the months-long struggle for further support for Ukraine, the US Senate, controlled by Democrats, approved a legislative package on Wednesday that provides 60 billion dollars (around 56 billion euros) for Ukraine.

However, the Chamber of Congress, dominated by the opposition Republicans, does not want to approve the bill. US President Joe Biden urged the House of Representatives to approve it in a televised speech on Wednesday.

Biden is pushing for help – NATO is advising

Biden has been trying for months to get billions in new aid for Kiev through Congress. Former President Donald Trump's Republicans are blocking this, but have recently shown some willingness to move, at least in the Senate.

During Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to Washington, Biden again called for insight with German support. It is outrageous that Congress is still refusing aid, said Biden. "The failure of the United States Congress to support Ukraine amounts to criminal negligence," said the US President.

The two-day NATO defense ministers' meeting in Brussels also focused on further military aid for Ukraine and the situation in Russia's war of aggression. According to the Ukrainian embassy in Germany, the focus of a meeting on Wednesday of the so-called Ukraine Contact Group, which includes up to 50 countries in addition to the 31 NATO states, was an increase in arms production as well as drones and technologies.

The NATO-Ukraine Council will meet in Brussels on Thursday. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to take part via video link.

jok/AFP