Ukraine needs "next-level assistance" to launch new cycle of military innovations, - Fedorov
To continue shifting the momentum in the war against Russia, Ukraine needs billions in additional defense aid.
Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov made this statement in an interview with Politico, according to Censor.NET.
What is known?
The publication notes that Ukraine is asking its allies to take advantage of a "fleeting" window of opportunity, specifically to fund UAVs, missiles, and military technologies that could throw Russia off balance and build on Ukraine’s recent gains on the battlefield.
"We need the next level of assistance to be able to complete the work. If we have enough resources to launch a new cycle of military innovation before Russia adapts to the current one, we'll gain another six months," Fedorov said.
According to the minister, the technology war shows just how quickly the course of events can change.
"It all depends on the speed of funding and our actions," Fedorov said, adding that "Ukraine is defending all of Europe from the Russians."
Politico reports that Ukraine’s military spending needs this year will amount to 136 billion euros. Of that amount, it can cover only 53 billion euros from its own resources. At the same time, the recently agreed-upon 90-billion-euro EU loan promises approximately 28.3 billion euros in military aid as early as this year
There are also additional bilateral military aid packages, as well as the PURL program.
However, according to Fedorov, this is still not enough. The country needs billions more in targeted aid, "and we need it as early as tomorrow."
"The sooner our partners send military aid, the better our chances of freeing up government funds to pay the new salaries. Today, the Ukrainian army is the best-trained in Europe. Where else can you find troops capable of eliminating between 30,000 and 35,000 Russian soldiers a month?" the minister emphasized.
These military upgrades have one goal: to show Putin that a war against Ukraine cannot be won, according to Politico.
"He needs to realize that the price is too high to keep going," Fedorov concluded.
