Ukraine’s military got a boost from three Western NATO allies this week as Kyiv continues its mission to reclaim Russian-occupied territory in its war against Moscow.
The additional support includes the approval of armored transport vehicles to be sent from Bulgaria to Kyiv after the Bulgarian National Assembly ratified an agreement between the country’s Interior Ministry and Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, according to Bulgaria’s national news outlet BTA. The Bulgarian Defense Committee reported that the transport vehicles in question are no longer needed by Sofia’s military.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks on September 28, 2023 in Kyiv. Ukraine’s military got a boost from three NATO allies this week.
Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Lithuania’s Ministry of Defense also announced in a post to X, formerly Twitter, that an aid package comprised of 3 million remote detonation systems and winter equipment had arrived in Ukraine on Wednesday. The package was received with gratitude by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, who wrote on X, “Thank you for steadfast support!”
“Our commitment to assist Ukraine remains unbreakable,” Lithuania’s defense ministry said in its post.
North Macedonia also announced that the first batch of Ukrainian soldiers had successfully undergone training alongside its own troops as part of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia, according to Defense Ministry Slavjanka Petrovska, who spoke with Macedonian Television on Tuesday. Petrovska added while speaking with reporters that her country intends to train Ukrainian soldiers through 2024 and “for as long as there is a need for it.”
NATO members have played a vital role in Ukraine’s ability to counter Russia’s aggression since Moscow launched its invasion in February 2022. Ukraine, however, is not a member of the alliance.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated the alliance’s support for Ukraine during a call with transatlantic leaders in October, which included U.S. President Joe Biden. According to a press release from NATO, allied members are sharing the burden of supporting Ukraine “equitably,” with around half of the military support for Kyiv coming from the U.S. and the other half being sent from European members and Canada.
According to a report from CNN, Ukraine has received nearly $100 billion in military aid since the start of the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Western support for Ukraine will only prolong the conflict, and Moscow officials have specifically warned against countries like the U.S. providing long-range military equipment to Kyiv.
An example of such equipment could include the new U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, which may include a modification allowing Ukraine to fire long-range weapons. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has previously said that weapons provided to Ukraine that could potentially allow Kyiv to strike targets in Russia were “extremely dangerous” and could bring “the conflict to a whole new level.”
Newsweek reached out to Russia’s Foreign Ministry via email Wednesday for comment.
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