Ukrainian Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak says his country “hoped for more courage” and “bold decisions” at the summit
Ukraine is “very disappointed” with NATO. This was shown by Andriy Yermak, President Volodímir Zelenski’s chief of staff, after analyzing the result of the summit between the leaders of the Atlantic Alliance and the European Union in Brussels. “We expected more courage. We expected some bold decisions », he said. Speaking via video call with the Washington-based Atlantic Council, Yermak said that NATO appears willing to wait until its June meeting in Madrid to make important decisions regarding kyiv.
At the moment, the senior Ukrainian official continued, NATO is “just trying to make sure it’s not provoking a military conflict between Russia” and the West, calling the Alliance’s inaction “appeasement.” During the summit the countries issued a general declaration of military support and, in fact, they have already sent millions of euros in weapons, but it is not enough for kyiv, as they continue to deny its requests to impose a no-fly zone on its territory, send Soviet-era fighter planes and accelerate the flow of heavier weaponry.
“It is time for concrete steps”
“It is time to take concrete steps. Not only in the statements, not only in the conversations. Now we need real action, especially when it comes to aircraft,” Yermak said. “We need very concrete things. But we still have to repeatedly remind them,” he lamented.
Zelensky’s chief of staff again called on NATO to “close our sky” and provide “real-time intelligence” as well as more anti-aircraft and anti-tank weaponry, some of which is now in short supply in the West. He also advocated more long-range artillery, rocket launchers and small arms. “Without him our war cannot be sustained,” he warned.
On the other hand, US and Ukrainian officials believe that Moscow’s offensive has already failed in some respects, given the strong resistance of the kyiv Army, which has been joined by thousands of volunteers from different countries, and the heavy Russian losses. And while Russia signaled on Friday that its targets may be winding down, Yermak’s comments served as a reminder that Ukraine remains outnumbered and outgunned and faces more destruction every day. The Pentagon also warned that the Kremlin has begun mobilizing military reinforcements to possibly send them to Ukraine.
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