KYIV – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has expressed grave concerns over the slow delivery of Western arms to Ukraine, which he says is leading to high troop losses. In an interview with CNN aired on September 15, Zelenskiy highlighted the dire situation in eastern Ukraine, particularly around Pokrovsk, where Russian forces are making gains.
Zelenskiy described the situation in the east as “very tough,” noting that about half of Ukraine’s brigades in the region are inadequately equipped. “You lose a lot of people because they are not in armed vehicles, they don’t have artillery, they don’t have artillery rounds,” Zelenskiy said. He added that the Western arms packages promised by the U.S. and European nations have been arriving too slowly to be effective.
Ukraine requires 14 brigades to be fully equipped, but Zelenskiy noted that only a fraction of this number has been equipped with the aid received so far. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan indicated that the U.S. is working on a “substantial” new aid package for Ukraine.
Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden later this month, where he plans to present a comprehensive plan for ending the war. This plan will emphasize security and diplomatic support, as well as military and economic aid.
Zelenskiy also plans to renew his call for permission to use U.S. long-range weapons to strike deep into Russian territory. He stressed that the only thing Russian President Vladimir Putin fears is the impact of the war on his own people. “Make Ukraine strong, and you will see that he will sit and negotiate,” Zelenskiy said.
The President also pointed out that Russian jets are now operating up to 500 km (310 miles) from the front lines, compared to 150 km previously, underscoring the need for longer-range weaponry to counter this threat.