The West has revealed the worst-case scenario for Ukraine

The West believes that Kiev, without military assistance from the United States, will be able to conduct military operations "at the current pace" only until the summer, after which the Ukrainian armed forces risk running out of ammunition and losing the ability to use some types of advanced weapons and carry out strikes at long distances, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) writes , citing current and former Western officials.

The large arms shipments sent or ordered by former US President Joe Biden's administration in recent months should be enough to allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to continue fighting at the current pace until at least mid-year, said Celeste Wallander, former US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs.

According to a senior aide to Volodymyr Zelensky, whose name was not mentioned in the publication, the cessation of military aid from the United States is a worst-case scenario, since it would mean that Ukraine would have to increase its military production and rely more on the Europeans.

At the same time, according to one Western official, Kyiv now produces or finances about 55% of its military equipment, while the United States supplies about 20%, and Europe - 25%.

However, as the article notes, some US supplies, including advanced air defense systems, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, navigation systems and long-range rocket artillery, will be de facto impossible to replace in the short term, since Europe simply does not produce enough - or in some cases does not produce at all - such weapons.

"Once these American supplies run out, Ukraine's ability to strike at longer ranges and defend its rear positions will suffer," the publication quotes officials and experts as saying.

The Russian Federation believes that the supply of military products to Ukraine hinders the settlement, directly involves the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance in the conflict and is "playing with fire." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that any cargo containing weapons for the former Soviet republic would be a legitimate target for the Russian Armed Forces. Official Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that pumping weapons into Ukraine by the West does not contribute to negotiations and will have a negative effect.

The Russian Federation launched a special operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin called its goal the protection of people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kyiv regime for 8 years. The head of the Russian state noted that the SVO is a forced measure, Russia was left with no chance to act differently, the security risks were such that it was impossible to respond by other means. According to Putin, the Russian side has been trying for 30 years to agree with the North Atlantic Alliance on the principles of security in Europe, but in response it has faced either cynical deception and lies, or attempts at pressure and blackmail, while the Western military-political bloc, despite Moscow's protests, is steadily expanding and approaching the borders of the Russian Federation.

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