WASHINGTON: Ukrainian drones are flying without ammunition while Russian artillery unleashes deadly volleys from safe positions beyond the range of Kyiv’s troops. US congressional leaders are warning that shortages of ammo and supplies are resulting in lost ground to Moscow, yet the Republican-controlled House has shown little urgency to resupply Ukraine with military aid. Officials across Washington are increasingly alarmed at the drop-off in ammunition shipments. It has been over two months since the US last sent military supplies to Ukraine, despite its self-designation as the “Arsenal of Democracy” since World War II. House Speaker Mike Johnson is charting his own course away from a USD 95 billion foreign aid package passed by the Senate, potentially stalling the package for weeks to come. With US military shipments cut off, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the eastern city of Avdiivka last month, where they had held off a Russian assault for four months. Delays in military support from the West are complicating the situation for Kyiv’s military tacticians, leading troops to ration ammunition and costing the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who visited Ukraine last week, emphasized the importance of aid for Ukraine’s success. Defence officials are considering options, including tapping existing stockpiles before Congress approves funding to replenish them. President Joe Biden and other top Democrats in Congress urged Johnson to take up a Senate-passed package that would provide USD 60 billion worth of assistance for Kyiv, but so far he has refused. The House is actively considering a path forward, with some senior Republicans pressing for a new national security package that would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Indo-Pacific allies. There is a sense of urgency in passing the aid package to support Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression.
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