No more red lines
Melnyk demands a tenfold increase in military aid
04/22/2023, 10:17 p.m
To defend against the Russian invasion, Ukraine needs weapons and ammunition. Deputy Foreign Minister Melnyk is demanding more commitment from the West on the issue. Because the current deliveries would not be sufficient, the former ambassador warns.
The Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk has called for a tenfold increase in Western military aid against the Russian war of aggression. “We are grateful to our allies for their military help. But that’s not enough,” wrote the former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany on Twitter in the evening. “Ukraine needs ten times more to end Russian aggression this year.” So far, all allies have provided a total of 55 billion US dollars, around 50 billion euros. But it takes ten times as much, the diplomat emphasized.
The partners in the west should finally stop drawing artificial red lines and then spend one percent of their gross domestic product on arms deliveries to Ukraine, Melnyk demanded. In the case of Germany alone, that would be more than 35 billion euros. The Ukrainian diplomat said the amounts are small compared to World War II. “The allies should understand the extent of this war,” warned Melnyk, who also appeared on a Ukrainian television talk show on the subject.
The government in Kiev is currently trying to supply western combat aircraft. So far, Ukraine has only received Soviet-designed MiG-29 aircraft. The US government has so far ruled out delivery of its F-16 jets.
Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian war of aggression for around 14 months with the help of the West, which is supplying weapons and ammunition. Last year, Ukraine also managed to recapture larger areas. The country is currently preparing for a new offensive to liberate even more territories. Russia, too, is now ramping up its wartime economy. The nuclear power is preparing for a long war against Ukraine.