Kyiv needs more weapons given length of front, says Ukraine official

German Press Agency

KYIV – Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak is calling for more weapons from allies to aid his country’s defense campaign against the Russian invasion, given the current state of fighting.

“The problem at this stage of the war is that the number of weapons, drones, grenades or artillery fire is not evenly distributed. This needs to be equalized,” he told Germany’s Bild newspaper.

Only one scenario is possible, he said, namely the maximal strengthening of Ukraine with high-tech weapons.

It is not talk that is needed but investment in military production, he said, citing “long-range missiles, drones, grenades or artillery fire. The number of weapons should be large.”

Podoliak, who advises Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pointed to the long front, as his country seeks to fend off Russian forces in several directions, with attacks in several directions.

“The entire front line is 1,300 kilometers, and the fighting is taking place over 600 to 800 kilometers,” Podoliak said.

He described the current military situation as difficult because the intensity of the fighting is not decreasing, regardless of weather.

Russia, however, has not made any significant progress in a year, he noted. “Russia is fighting with masses, a covert mobilization has been carried out, a lot of manpower has been sent to the front, a lot of equipment has been concentrated, and it all has to be destroyed.”

He said he assumed the war would continue according to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans “until he conquers the entire territory of Ukraine, until he achieves dominance in Europe, until he has conquered other post-Soviet territories.”

Podoliak said this is because “a person does not go into a major war after destroying his reputation and relationships if he wants to settle for little. That is nonsense.”

Meanwhile Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that he sees no chance of peace with Russia under Putin.

He doesn’t want peace with Ukraine, he told British television station Channel 4, adding that Putin would rather continue his war to take over the entire country.

Zelenskyy also said again that support from the West is vital for Ukraine’s survival.

“They could help us more to win,” said Zelenskyy, referring to the Western allies providing billions to Ukraine and supplying weapons and ammunition. He expressed thanks for the support so far.

“We could not have survived without U.S. help,” he said, amid debates in Washington about further military aid to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s full-scale invasion, which has been raging since 2022.

Zelenskyy also responded to the journalist’s request to invite former U.S. President Donald Trump to present his plans for ending the war, as the U.S. politician seeks re-election.

“I invite you to Ukraine, to Kyiv,” said Zelenskyy, addressing Trump. He has already extended the invitation to Trump to visit his country in the past.

Zelenskyy said he wanted to hear how Trump intended to implement his assertion he could end the war within 24 hours if re-elected.

Zelenskyy also again refused to cede territory to Russia in order to achieve peace.

After almost two years of war, Russia occupies large parts of the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson.

Moscow illegally annexed the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014.

Putin repeatedly accuses Zelenskyy of having no interest in peace, wanting to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, and of having banned negotiations by decree.