Ukraine needs U.S. assistance not only for defending, but also for regaining land - Pentagon

The U.S. Department of Defense points to the critical importance of providing Ukraine with assistance so that the country could not only defend itself but also regain control of temporarily captured territories.

This was stated at a Thursday briefing by a Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder, Ukrinform’s own correspondent reports.

“It’s vital that we be able to receive the supplemental funding as well as a full year appropriation to be able to ensure that Ukraine has the assistance to include air defense and ammunition capabilities to be able not only to defend themselves but also to take back sovereign territory,” said the DoD spox.

He noted that Ukraine is now engaged in active fighting as Russia is making “small but incremental gains”. However, the rider emphasized, Ukrainians proved that they are “innovative, courageous” fighters.

 “So we have no doubt that they’re going to continue to fight very bravely but it’s absolutely essential that we get them the resources they need and not too late,” the Pentagon representative emphasized.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the U.S. Department of Defense has assured that as soon as Congress approves further aid to Ukraine, the next package of military aid will contain the weapons that are most urgent for Ukraine’s Army.