Aid to Ukraine is stagnating – Minister: “Then we will fight with spades”

“Whatever the price for supporting Ukraine now, the price for clearing the world’s chaos in the event of a Ukrainian defeat will be much higher,” Kuleba told US broadcaster ABC News. Even under the most difficult circumstances, Ukraine will not surrender to Russia, the minister added. “Even if we run out of weapons, we will fight with spades. Because what is at stake for Ukraine is the survival of this country.” For any peace negotiations with Russia, his country must first create a better starting position on the battlefield, Kuleba said.

Military aid stalls
Ukraine is dependent on Western support in its defensive war against Russia. However, providing new military aid to the US, its main backer, is stuck in a domestic political dispute, which is of great concern to Kiev. Aid to Ukraine is also currently stagnating in Brussels. There, the EU Commissioner for Economic Affairs urged further support on Tuesday on the sidelines of a meeting of EU finance ministers. He also made international partners outside Europe responsible.

In December, a €50 billion EU aid program to Ukraine was blocked by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s veto. A special EU summit is now planned for February 1. It is hoped in Brussels that Hungary will give up its resistance by then.

Zelenskyj has not given up hope of joining NATO
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is campaigning for support for his country in Switzerland. During a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, he reiterated hopes to join the military alliance. Kiev expects decisions at the July NATO summit in Washington that will bring Ukraine closer to membership of the alliance, Zelensky said on Tuesday.

Russia also justifies its war of aggression against Ukraine with the country’s desire to join NATO. However, Ukraine’s inclusion in the alliance is not yet in sight. During the meeting with Stoltenberg, Zelensky said that until Ukraine joined, the country wanted to continue concluding bilateral security agreements, as it recently did with Britain.

Zelensky thanked Stoltenberg for the continued support of the military alliance. He also informed the NATO Secretary General about the situation at the front and emphasized that Kiev still needs help in strengthening its air defense. In a speech at the World Economic Forum, Zelenskyy wants to campaign for billions more and arms supplies to Ukraine. He also hopes for support in the reconstruction of the country.

Evacuations in Kharkov
Meanwhile, the situation in northeastern Ukraine has become more dangerous due to increased Russian attacks. Authorities in the Kharkiv region have urged residents of numerous villages on the front lines to seek safety. The evacuation was ordered for 26 places “in view of the security situation”, and more than 3,000 people have been affected.

Authorities had previously reported a Russian guided missile attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of New York in the Donetsk region. At least three people were injured and five other people were “probably buried under the rubble,” the Interior Ministry in Kiev said. Several residential buildings were destroyed. Searching for buried victims, rescuers combed through the rubble of a partially collapsed apartment building on Tuesday evening.