Ukraine is facing a harsh winter. After a counter-offensive in the summer that made little progress, Ukrainian forces must now dig in and fend off repeated Russian attacks. Army Colonel Markus Reisner even fears that the invaders will break through if Ukraine does not replenish its military resources – and things look bleak.
According to military expert Reisner, there is a risk of a breakthrough by the Russian army in the coming weeks and months if “Ukraine does not have sufficient resources to adequately defend itself or go on the offensive itself,” he told ntv. the. In its previous offensives, Ukraine has achieved some spectacular successes near Kharkov and Kherson, Reisner said. The dilemma: “Military resources were depleted and needed to be replenished,” the army colonel explained.
There is a threat of attacks on the hinterland
Ukraine must now survive the winter and, above all, protect its hinterland – there is a renewed threat of Russian air strikes on its critical energy infrastructure. In the spring there will be renewed fighting to liberate the occupied territories, and the Ukrainian troops will have to prepare for this now. “To do this, Ukraine needs resources that must be made available now,” Reisner emphasizes.
Figures make war fatigue visible
And this is exactly where the problem lies: war fatigue is gradually spreading in the West, which is now also reflected in the raw numbers. Western military aid to Ukraine has gone from a flood to a trickle. The newly promised aid between August and October 2023 fell by almost 90 percent compared to the same period last year, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (ifw) reported on Thursday.
During this period, aid commitments totaling EUR 2.11 billion were received. This marks a new low. Aid is at its lowest level since late January 2022 – just before the Russian attack. “Our figures confirm the impression that supporters have become more hesitant in recent months,” emphasizes Christoph Trebesch, head of the team that creates the Ukraine Support Tracker. Ukraine is becoming increasingly dependent on some core donors, including Germany, the US and the Scandinavian countries.
“Delay strengthens Putin”
Given the uncertainty about further US aid, Ukraine can only hope that the EU will approve the long-announced €50 billion aid package. “Another delay would significantly strengthen Putin’s position,” Trebesch added, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Opposition American Republicans initially blocked an aid package worth 106 billion dollars (about 98 billion euros) for Israel and Ukraine in the Senate on Wednesday. European Union countries have now overtaken the US in promised military aid. Between August and October, EU countries pledged €780 million for heavy weapons, compared to €500 million from the US.
“New commitments from Germany and the Nordic countries since August 2023 support this trend, in particular through new Patriot and IRIS-T air defense systems from Germany and 19 F-16 fighter jets from Denmark,” the report said.
Austria is at the top when it comes to financial aid
The largest donor of military aid is still the US with a total volume of 44 billion euros. However, Germany is quickly catching up on its military obligations worth more than 17 billion euros. As a neutral state, Austria does not provide any military aid. Austria’s humanitarian and financial obligations total around 750 million euros or 0.165 of GDP. Austria ranks 20th in aid to Ukraine by gross domestic product. According to the ifw, Austria ranks fifth in the field of financial aid alone.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
