Zelenskyy says Ukraine needs 'significant speed-up' in military aid deliveries

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that his country needs a "significant speed-up" in military aid deliveries to bolster the capabilities of its soldiers on the frontline with Russia.

“We need a significant speed-up of deliveries to strengthen the capabilities of our soldiers tangibly. It is not Russian air bombs and assault operations that should dominate the frontline, but our Ukrainian initiative,” Zelenskyy said in an evening video address on Tuesday.

Expressing that Ukraine’s shortcomings with regard to the delay in military aid deliveries to Kyiv are being solved partially by domestic production, Zelenskyy said they have achieved “particular results” concerning drones.

“I am grateful to everyone who works for this cause, who produces drones, who trains operators, who provides everything we need. I thank each of our partners who now are really doing everything they can to strengthen our position,” Zelenskyy further said.

He said Kyiv is counting on the US military aid deliveries, which he said are deliveries that “should be felt” by Russia. “In the south of our country. Everywhere where Russia is pushing and where we have to push it back. And also everywhere where new strike threats may arise,” he added.

Last week, US President Joe Biden signed a $60.8 billion aid bill to Ukraine into law as the country continues to fight off Russia’s war that began in February 2022.