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Ukrainian artillery and ammunition supplied by the West

Victoria Craw – The i news Nov 30, 2022

Nato members are facing a “very serious” crunch on weapons supply chains that could see Ukraine’s counteroffensive grind to a halt in winter and give Russia more time to resupply, experts and diplomats have warned.

Expert estimates state around two thirds of Nato stocks of the kinds of heavy weaponry that has been successful in Ukraine such as Stinger missiles, Javelins and HIMARS launchers have already been shipped to Ukraine, according to Jamie Shea, an associate fellow at Chatham House’s International Security programme.

“In both Washington and London there is a real sense that the war in Ukraine is our war. If we win it’s better for us. If Ukraine loses, it’s worse for us.”

“They’re willing to take a punt on giving quite a lot of their stocks,” he said. “Without doing it Ukraine is going to fold.”

The issue was under discussion by global leaders on Tuesday at a Nato meeting in Bucharest where leaders called for supplies to Ukraine but diplomats voiced private fears over capacity.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis urged the alliance to press ahead with deliveries of tanks, saying Nato had plenty of them to spare.

“My message to fellow foreign ministers at today’s Nato meeting is simple: Keep calm and give tanks,” he said on Twitter, showing an image of a Ukrainian flag with a tank in the middle.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Landsbergis said: “Nato is not running low on tanks so therefore if we expand the inventory of what is being sent to Ukraine then Nato has a chance to keep supply going.”

“It’s a political decision because from a military perspective during the winter when the front line is stabilising, if an additional jolt is needed, then this could be achieved by providing extra battle tanks,” he said.

 

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