Ukraine Ambassador Warns of Kyiv's 'Critical' Weapons Shortage

Ukraine's ambassador to the United States said her country is facing a "critical shortage" of weapons and military supplies.

During an interview with Bloomberg published on Thursday, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova called on U.S. lawmakers to approve a new aid package for her country, saying additional support is necessary for Ukraine to fight Russia's military.

The U.S. Senate is expected to soon vote on a $95 billion emergency spending package for Israel and Ukraine. About $60 billion of the funds in the package would go towards weapons and training for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against the invasion Russian President Vladimir Putin launched nearly two years ago.

"We still have enough people who want to fight—there is no choice, actually for us, we are defending our homes—but we're running out of equipment, especially missiles and interceptors," Markarova told Bloomberg. "We need this support yesterday."

The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to proceed with the emergency aid package as a standalone bill that doesn't include reforms to America's border policy. The bill—introduced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat—came after a previous measure that included both foreign aid and border provisions failed to pass the Senate on Wednesday.

In her interview with Bloomberg, Markarova expressed hope that the $95 billion funding package will pass through Congress.

"I was so happy to hear that it was a very strong bipartisan support, not yet final of course, just the first step in the right direction," she said. "There is no alternative to continuing this support."

She added: "We have to do everything possible in order for the U.S. to stay strong and continue supporting us."

When Markarova's office was contacted for comment, an embassy spokesperson replied with a statement.

"Due to a shortage of ammunition, the Ukrainian military finds itself under increased pressure on the front line. Russia is pushing on, trying to give Putin a 'big win' by the election day in March: occupation of another Ukrainian city in the East," the spokesperson told Newsweek in the statement. "The enemy is especially active in the direction of Avdiivka and Kupyansk. The Ukrainian defenders are holding the front, but any further delays with foreign military support will be increasing the human cost for Ukraine."

The spokesperson continued: "The missing supplies to Ukraine result, first and foremost, in Russia's superiority in artillery. Russia has the advantage of its own increased production, multiplied by reliable supply from Iran and North Korea whose armaments are notoriously imprecise but abundant....The speedy delivery [of more weapons] is crucial for the Ukrainian army."

Last week, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov shared a similar sentiment about Kyiv's weapons supply in a statement he sent to Ukraine's European allies.

In the message, which was obtained by Bloomberg, Umerov said Ukraine was experiencing a "critical" shortage of artillery shells and could not keep up with Russia's average daily shell usage.

"The side with the most ammunition to fight usually wins," he reportedly wrote.

Last month, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense Celeste Wallander also told reporters Tuesday that Kyiv was running out of the weapons it needs to fight against Russia.

While calling on Congress to provide more funding for Ukraine's military, Wallander said Kyiv currently does "not have the stocks and the stores of ammunition that they require" to defend itself against Putin's forces.

Update 02/09/24 9:06 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include a statement from Ukraine's U.S. embassy.