US general says Ukraine will be outgunned by Russia ‘10 to 1’ in weeks without US aid
- US Army General Christopher Cavoli says time running out for Ukraine as munitions supplies dwindle
- Republicans in Congress have been blocking tens of billions of dollars in US military aid for Ukraine
The top general for US forces in Europe told Congress Wednesday that Ukraine will be outgunned 10 to one by Russia within a matter of weeks if Congress does not find a way to approve sending more ammunition and weapons to Kyiv soon.
The testimony from US Army General Christopher Cavoli, head of US European Command, and Celeste Wallander, assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, comes as Congress enters pivotal weeks for voting for aid for Ukraine, but there’s no guarantee funding will be improved in time.
Ukraine has been rationing its munitions as Congress has delayed passing its US$60 billion supplemental bill.
“They are now being outshot by the Russian side five to one. So the Russians fire five times as many artillery shells at the Ukrainians than the Ukrainians are able to fire back. That will immediately go to 10 to one in a matter of weeks,” Cavoli said. “We’re not talking about months. We’re not talking hypothetically.”
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has been trying to find a way forward for the bill that would fund new rounds of munitions production at US firms to enable the Pentagon to then rush more munitions to Ukraine.