Nato chief chides members as Ukraine’s allies say slow arms deliveries have helped Russia
- ‘Serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield’ for Ukraine, said Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv
- Kyiv’s Western partners have vowed to stand with Ukraine but vital US military aid was held up for six months by political differences in Washington
Nato countries have not delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliance’s chief said on Monday, allowing Russia to press its advantage while Kyiv’s depleted forces wait for military supplies to arrive from the US and Europe.
“The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line. Lack of air defence has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces,” Stoltenberg said.
Kyiv’s Western partners have repeatedly vowed to stand with Ukraine “for as long as it takes”. But vital US military help was held up for six months by political differences in Washington, and Europe’s military hardware production has not kept up with demand. Ukraine’s own manufacturing of heavy weapons is only now starting to gain traction.
Zelensky said new Western supplies have started arriving, but slowly. “This process must be speeded up,” he said at the news conference with Stoltenberg.
Though the 1,000-km (600-mile) front line has shifted little since early in the war, the Kremlin’s forces in recent weeks have edged forward, especially in the Donetsk region, with sheer numbers and massive firepower used to bludgeon defensive positions.