Zelenskiy calls on allies to address ‘artificial’ weapons shortage to counter Putin

Zelenskiy highlighted Ukraine’s weapon shortages as empowering Putin during the conflict. Troops retreated due to ammunition scarcities. He urged allies for aid and criticized the West’s response to Navalny’s death, questioning Putin’s legitimacy.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Saturday that his country’s inability to access weapons was bolstering Russian President Vladimir Putin. He mentioned during a speech at the Munich Security Conference that the absence of artillery and long-range capabilities in Ukraine’s arsenal allows Putin to adjust to the ongoing intensity of the conflict.

At a crucial moment during Russia’s extensive invasion of Ukraine, which has persisted for nearly three years, President Zelenskiy addressed the situation. His troops had been compelled to retreat from the heavily damaged eastern town of Avdiivka. Ukraine was experiencing severe ammunition shortages, and the approval of U.S. military assistance had stalled in Congress for several months.

Zelenskiy lamented the situation, expressing regret that Ukraine’s artificial scarcity of weaponry, particularly in terms of artillery and long-range capabilities, was allowing Putin to adjust to the current intensity of the conflict. He emphasized that this weakening of democracy over time undermines the collective determination of their efforts.

He further emphasized not to inquire about Ukraine’s expectations for the war’s conclusion, but rather to reflect on why Putin still possesses the capacity to prolong it. He stressed that the crucial action allies could take at present was to dispatch additional shipments of weaponry and air defenses to Ukraine. During the same conference, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz avoided addressing inquiries regarding providing long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv. Zelenskiy pointed out that if Ukraine’s artillery range is 20 km while Russia’s extends to 40 km, it provides a clear explanation.
The Munich Security Conference received shocking news on Friday regarding the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny while in a Russian prison. Zelenskiy remarked that following Navalny’s death, it was inconceivable to view Putin as the rightful leader of Russia.