Ukraine: realities | «The Weekly Five»: 12.02 – 18.02
Macron: Ukraine and France sign «security guarantees» agreement
Presidents of Ukraine and France, Volodymyr Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron, signed a bilateral agreement on security cooperation within the framework of the "Group of Seven" declaration during their meeting in Paris on January 16.
According to the French president, the bilateral agreement "specifies the commitments we made with the G7 countries at the NATO summit in Vilnius last July."
"Our support is not only long-term but also has a collective intention, as Britain and Germany have already signed this agreement," he added.
Stoltenberg: The longer the US delays assistance, the more Ukrainians die
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg passionately urged the US Congress to promptly approve additional funding for Ukraine, emphasizing that the military support from other Alliance members already surpasses that of the United States.
Stoltenberg acknowledged that European NATO members indeed fall short in their contributions to their own defense, but in terms of military aid to Ukraine, along with Canada, they have allocated more funds than the United States. He added that the lack of a decision by the US Congress on the aid package for Ukraine directly impacts the battlefield.
“It’s not just about making the right decisions, but about making them in advance and as quickly as possible. Because it is urgent. With each passing week of our anticipation, more people are being killed on the battlefield in Ukraine,” emphasized Stoltenberg.
Biden: Ukrainian Armed Forces forced to withdraw from Avdiivka due to lack of ammunition and US Congress inaction
President of the United States, Joe Biden, believes that on the morning of February 17, Ukrainian military forces were compelled to withdraw from Avdiivka due to a shortage of ammunition and the depletion of their supplies. He emphasized that this situation resulted from the inaction of the US Congress and led to Russia's first significant gains in several months.
On Saturday, Biden called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "to underscore the commitment of the United States to continue supporting Ukraine ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's brutal invasion." During the phone call, he also emphasized the urgent need for Congress to pass legislation for additional funding for national security to support Ukrainian forces.
President Biden confirmed strong bipartisan support within the US government and among the American people for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Bloomberg: UK and US plan to provide Ukraine with thousands of AI-controlled drones
The United Kingdom is collaborating with countries, including the United States, to supply Ukraine with thousands of new drones supported by artificial intelligence (AI) that could simultaneously target Russian objectives, as reported by Bloomberg, citing unnamed military sources familiar with the matter.
Western military officials developing this technology believe that it could enable Ukraine to capture certain Russian positions using drones, according to individuals who wished to remain anonymous while discussing sensitive issues. They mentioned that the drones could be sent to Ukraine within a few months but cautioned that the timelines might change.
Bloomberg noted that drones are becoming increasingly crucial in the Russian-Ukrainian war, which has been ongoing for nearly two years, and a global race is underway to develop new technologies that could shape the future of warfare. Russia is expanding its domestic production of combat drones and has received significant supplies from its ally, Iran.
F-16s could be in Ukraine by June
The first F-16 fighter jets are expected to be in the Ukrainian sky around June 2024, according to Foreign Policy
"I think we will see them in Ukraine in June," quoted the publication the words of Lithuanian Minister of Defense Arvydas Anušauskas.
Another European official, whose name is not disclosed, also mentioned similar timelines.
"The Ukrainian authorities expect that by the end of the U.S. fiscal year (September), 12 pilots will undergo training on the fighters," the article notes.
Earlier, the approximate timeframe for transferring the fighters to Ukraine was mentioned as the first quarter of 2024.
The project «Ukraine: realities» is implemented by the News agency «Konkurent» together with the Civic Movement «SVIDOMI» in English for readers from other countries to tell to tell about current news and events in Ukraine.
Проєкт «Ukraine: realities» реалізовується Інформаційним агентством «Конкурент» спільно з Громадянським Рухом «СВІДОМІ» на англійській мові для читачів з інших країн аби розповісти про актуальні новини та події в Україні.
