Following Washington ’s decision to halt some of its arms deliveries to Ukraine, including air defense systems, Ukraine has summoned the US charge d’affaires, saying that delays in military aid will “encourage” Russia. “We are clarifying the situation. I believe everything will be clarified in the coming days,” presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn told reporters, shortly after Kiev summoned a US diplomat to stress the “crucial importance” of US military supplies in defending against a Russian invasion. “The Ukrainian side stressed that any delay or postponement in supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities would only encourage the aggressor to continue war and terror, rather than seek peace,” the ministry further reported, stressing that “the sides discussed consultations on defense supplies, currently underway at all levels, and further contacts between Ukraine and the United States, which will help find mutually beneficial solutions to strengthen our state’s defense capabilities, increasing pressure on Russia to promote peace efforts.”
White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly said the decision to suspend some weapons shipments “was made to put America’s interests first following a Department of Defense review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries around the world.” At the same time, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said it had not received any advance notice of the announced reductions in American weapons supplies. Ending the Russian invasion, it stressed, requires “continued” support. “Ukraine has not received any official notification of the suspension or review of its agreed defense assistance supply programs,” the ministry said in a statement. “We emphasize that the way to end the war is through constant and joint pressure on the aggressor, as well as through continued support for Ukraine,” he concluded. Mikhailo Podolyak, the Ukrainian president’s chief adviser, also spoke out on the matter, as reported by Rbc-Ukraine. “Deliveries continue to this day. It would seem very strange, inhumane,” he continued, “to stop the supply of anti-missile systems, let’s say, Patriot systems in particular.”
The American decision has met with approval from Moscow, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov convinced that providing fewer weapons to Ukraine could bring the end of the conflict closer."From what we understand, the reason for this decision is empty warehouses , a shortage of armaments in warehouses," Peskov said."In any case, the fewer weapons are supplied to Ukraine, the closer the end of the war," he added, quoted by Interfax. In the meantime Pyongyang is ready to triple the number of its troops fighting for Russia along the front line with Ukraine, sending an additional 25,000-30,000 soldiers to assist Moscow. This figure was reported by CNN with an intelligence assessment conducted by Ukrainian officials. The troops could arrive in Russia in the coming months, joining the 11,000 sent in November to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. About 4,000 of those North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded during the deployment, according to Western sources.
