Ukraine summons US diplomat, warns aid delays will 'encourage' Russia
Ukraine summoned the deputy chief of the U.S. embassy in Kyiv to a meeting Wednesday and warned him any delays in U.S. military aid to Ukraine would "encourage" Russia, Kyiv's foreign ministry said.
The White House announced Tuesday it was halting some key weapons shipments to Ukraine promised by the previous U.S. administration to battle Russia's invasion.
"John Ginkel was invited to the Ukrainian foreign ministry... The Ukrainian side stressed that any delay or procrastination in supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities would only encourage the aggressor to continue the war," Kyiv's foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Kremlin welcomed the move, saying reducing the flow of weapons to Kyiv will help end the conflict faster.
"In any case, the fewer the number of weapons that are delivered to Ukraine, the closer the end of the special military operation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to a question by AFP, using Russia's term for its more than three-year offensive.
The aid cuts come at a perilous moment for Ukraine, which has endured weeks of intense Russian bombardment and has been ceding ground to Moscow's army on the front line.
US media reported that Patriot air defense systems and artillery were among the items being held back, both of which Kyiv says it desperately needs.
A high-ranking source in the Ukrainian military told AFP that Kyiv would struggle to defend itself against attacking Russian forces without US ammunition.
"We are now seriously dependent on American arms supplies, although Europe is doing its best, but it will be difficult for us without American ammunition," the source said.
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