Poroshenko urges Washington to bolster Ukraine’s defense with more weapons

Source: European Solidarity 

In his address at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, former Ukrainian  president Petro Poroshenko rallied Ukraine’s allies to help his country with more military aid as its troops now have to deal with the situation where the Kremlin is sent reinforcements and weapons from the partners like Iran and North Korea.

“The next 50 days are crucial not just for Ukraine’s future, but for the entire world. Every lost day means innocent lives lost,” Poroshenko stresses, pointing to the devastating toll of Russian attacks.

The politician who is using his own money to aid Ukrainian troops brought up the alarming facts: in September and October alone, Russia launched 1,700 and 2,070 Iranian-made Shahed drones at Ukraine, with more than 2,000 ballistic missiles, including North Korean ones, delivered to Russia in October. By contrast, Ukraine received only 130 air defense missiles in the same period.

“This war is not just Russia against Ukraine. It’s Russia, Iran, and North Korea against us all,” Poroshenko warned, suggesting that NATO countries could eventually face similar threats.

The former president said the West should accomodate its economies to a wartime footing, which will allow to make  Western artillery shells less expensive and more abundant.

“Our shell costs over $6,000 to produce, while Russia pays North Korea just $450. We need to make our shells for $500 and produce them faster,” he explained.

Poroshenko urged Ukraine and its allies to focus on technological advancements to offset Russia’s numerical advantage. He suggested that Ukraine needs 3,000 strike drones to counter 2,000 drones deployed by Russia, enabling decisive strikes deep into enemy territory.

The politician also questioned the hesitation about Kyiv’s use of Western-supplied weapons for strikes inside Russia.

“Why are they allowed to target critical energy infrastructure, hospitals, and universities, while we are denied the right to respond against legitimate military targets? This is unjustifiable,” he remarked.

Russia’s aggeressive acts should be addressed in a decisive way.

“Those who fear a Third World War must understand that the only language Putin understands is the language of united strength. Don’t fear Ukraine’s victory. Don’t fear defeating Russia. It’s better, cheaper, and more effective to stop Putin in Ukraine,” Poroshenko concluded, expressing confidence the U.S leaders, including the newly-elected president Trump know how it can be done.