The European Union (EU) countries have provided Ukraine with all the weapons they can without affecting the defense capabilities of these countries, Politico reported.
According to Politico , Ukraine is facing a reduction in weapons and financial supplies from Western allies. Western aid to Ukraine is decreasing.
“We cannot continue to supply weapons to Ukraine from our reserves. Our commitment to support Kiev remains the same, but we have done everything we can,” Politico quoted an unnamed EU official as saying.
Europe cannot continue to provide arms aid to Ukraine when its stockpiles are depleted. (Photo: Getty Images)
Politico 's sources gave the information shortly after the International Defense Industry Forum 2023 hosted by Kiev last week, at which Ukraine is trying to attract Western companies to invest in its defense industry.
However, what Kiev received was a "crack" in military aid from the West.
The US Congress ’s failure last week to allocate aid in its interim budget for Ukraine, and more recently the announcement by Slovakia’s new Prime Minister Robert Fico that he would stop providing aid to Kiev during his election campaign, are just two of many signs that aid to the conflict is being cut.
The Ukrainian government estimates it will receive at least $42.8 billion in aid from allied countries next year.
A diplomatic source told Politico that a crisis over the EU budget could bring unpredictable changes to aid to Ukraine.
The International Defense Industry Forum 2023 is part of Ukraine’s efforts to boost arms production. Germany’s Rheinmetall and Britain’s BAE have made several commitments to open production facilities in Ukraine.
Kiev's goal is to become “an Israel in Europe – self-sufficient but with help from other countries,” analyst Daniel Vajdich told Politico .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has floated the idea of using Russian assets seized by the West to boost the country's defense production, but has not received the approval of the EU or the US.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said that up to 37 Ukrainian defense industry facilities were damaged by Russian attacks.
For its part, Russia stressed that foreign-built weapons production sites in Ukraine would be considered legitimate military targets.
Tra Khanh (Source: russian.rt.com)
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