The start of the first shipments of weapons to Ukraine raises expectations among American officials that the new weapons will help the country buy time to replenish its Armed Forces and strengthen its defenses before an expected Russian offensive, The Washington Post reports.
A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the new aid would help Ukraine better cope with Russian attacks on the ground and in the air, and better protect both its military and civilians. But he stressed that time was short and could not be wasted.
Now that the battle in Congress is over, American officials plan to focus on other pressing issues in Ukraine, including the struggle to mobilize additional troops. They understand that the personnel shortage is becoming a growing challenge and recognize that they need to find a way to inspire more Ukrainian men to go to the front lines.
A Ukrainian lawmaker, who wished to remain anonymous, believes that President Zelensky’s statement of 31,000 dead soldiers since 2022 significantly underestimates the real number of casualties. He said this may be an attempt to downplay the problem and ease the mobilization campaign.
Officials say a program to train Ukrainian soldiers by U.S. forces in Europe has slowed as the reserve pool is depleted. Officials say they need to physically strengthen defenses ahead of an expected Russian offensive and hope new weapons, including anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, will help.
