Subscribe here: [ Ссылка ] Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that Ukraine and Europe can work together to equalise the "artillery balance" with Russia, and the necessary work is underway.
Kuleba noted at a joint briefing with EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell in Kyiv that the scale of the Russian-Ukrainian war had reached a level that Ukrainian ammunition stockpiles are "not ready" for.
"We all have to respond to the challenge. To do this, Ukraine is increasing its production of shells on an unprecedented scale, and the EU is taking unprecedented measures to produce shells and purchase them from third countries," Kuleba said.
He noted that a single solution is not enough to change the situation and that the problem needs an integrated approach.
"We need governments to sign longer-term contracts with European shell manufacturers. We need Ukrainian and European manufacturers to work together more and increase production. Let's remove all administrative obstacles.
In fact, we need to create something like a common market for the defence industry. This is the mission of the EU as an institution – to remove obstacles to the movement of capital, people and goods. And the same should be done for the defence industry," Kuleba said.
He added that it was important to negotiate with countries that have contracted to buy artillery shells in Europe for themselves so that they agree to send them to Ukraine, as well as to source and procure shells from stockpiles in third countries.
"Can we equalise the artillery balance with Russia? We definitely can if we make these integrated efforts... Thanks to the heroism and creativity of Ukrainian soldiers, we are managing to deter Russia despite the fact that we are really suffering from a shortage of ammunition.
However, it is important that the shell shortage never turns into shell hunger. We need to work every day to prevent that, and that is exactly what is happening now," concluded Kuleba.
Kuleba also commented on the situation with the Ukraine aid bill that is stuck in the US Congress.
The signing of long-term contracts with defence companies by EU governments, the removal of all administrative obstacles to the interaction of defence production and the redirection of European arms exports from third countries to Ukraine can significantly increase the number of shells at the front and equalize the artillery balance with Russia.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this during talks in Kyiv with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.
The Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, stressed, on Wednesday 7 February during a visit to Kyiv by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, the importance of supplying their country with ammunition.
During the meeting with Borrell, the head of the Kyiv City State Administration emphasized that there is an urgent need for further assistance to Ukraine with air defense systems, weapons, and ammunition.
Zelenskyy gave an address to Parliament during the September visit. Before that, he was introduced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and then-Speaker of the House Anthony Rota.
During his introduction, Rota recognized a man from his riding, Yaroslav Hunka, and praised the Ukrainian-Canadian for fighting the Russians during the Second World War. Zelenskyy, Trudeau and the rest of the House rose to applaud Hunka.
Ukraine's president replaced his top general Thursday in a shake-up aimed at reigniting momentum in the deadlocked war with Russia, which is grinding into its third year as the country grapples with shortages of ammunition and personnel and struggles to maintain support from the West.
After days of speculation that change was coming, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media that he was thankful for the service of the outgoing Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi — a military leader popular with troops and the general public. "The time for ... a renewal is now," Zelenskyy said on X.
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