US speeds up weapon delivery to Ukraine: Report

The United States and its allies have been rushing weapons into Ukraine to counter renewed Russian efforts to liberate the country’s eastern region.

“Having a continuous flow of just supplies and munitions, like ammunition, is critical,” said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies as quoted by The Hill on Sunday.

“You know, it’s not very high visibility, it’s not very exciting, but that’s what keeps armies functioning,” he noted.

Day 59: German chancellor warns NATO against direct confrontation with Russia

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned that NATO must avoid a direct military confrontation with Russia that could lead to a third world war.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday, US President Joe Biden announced a fresh package of $800 million in military aid for Ukraine.

The new military package includes 72 big 155mm howitzer guns with 72 armored vehicles to tow them, 144,000 rounds of ammunition, and more than 120 "Phoenix Ghost" tactical drones recently developed by the US Air Force, according to the Pentagon.

Biden said he will ask Congress next week to fund more weapons and military equipment and shore financial aid for Ukraine.

In this regard, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said wide-scale weapons and equipment was being coordinated and delivered to Ukraine by the European Command in Stuttgart, Germany in record speed.

“Eight to 10 flights a day are going into the theater, and not all of those flights are American flights, but most of them are. And every single day, including this day, there has been ground movement inside Ukraine. So we have seen no slowing down,” Kirby said highlighting the frantic pace of deliveries. 

In the meantime, Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), criticized the Biden administration for what he said was the West's insufficient military aid to Ukraine that was reaching them too late.

“The war is changing in the east, and the Ukrainians need much more to win and roll back Russian aggression. We’ll need to get creative,” Inhofe tweeted on Friday. “Further, we must ensure the Pentagon is able to get contracts out to industry to increase production ASAP. Let’s get to work.”

Meanwhile, China has called on Western countries to refrain from sending offensive weapons to Ukraine.

Supplying offensive weapons to Ukraine to worsen conflict: China UN envoy

China has called on Western countries to refrain from sending offensive weapons to Ukraine, warning that such deliveries will only escalate the ongoing conflict and worsen the humanitarian crisis in the country.

Zhang Jun, the Chinese ambassador to the UN, warned last week that delivering weapons to Ukraine will only escalate the ongoing conflict and worsen the humanitarian crisis in the country.

Zhang said the fundamental way to resolve the Ukraine crisis is to put an early end to the conflict, urging Moscow and Kiev "to adhere to the general direction of dialog and negotiation, continuously narrow differences, and accumulate conditions for a ceasefire."

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