Zelensky: Western allies a year late with military aid

US says Ukraine facing 'challenge' as Russian forces advance

- TOM WATLING

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that decisions on military aid from Western allies are late "by around a year" as his nation's troops fight off an assault by Russian forces in the northeast region of Kharkiv.

Mr Zelensky was speaking as fresh US support is starting to arrive after a $61bn (£48bn) package was finally signed off by president Joe Biden in April after months of delay in the US Congress, with Kyiv’s forces severely outgunned.

He described the delivery of military aid, in particular of air defences like the Patriot systems Ukraine relies on heavily to fight off Russia’s invasion, as “one big step forward but, before that, two steps back”. He added: “Every decision to which we, then later everyone together, comes to is late by around one year.”

Mr Zelensky suggested ways in which allies could help more directly, including by shooting down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory in certain circumstances. Russian forces have seized nearly half the northeast Ukrainian town of Vovchansk, officials have reported, as Washington admitted that Ukraine and its allies were in a “moment of challenge”.

The small town, less than four miles from mainland Russia, located in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, has become Kyiv’s primary defence against Vladimir Putin’s forces after they stormed across the border earlier this month.

In just 11 days across two areas – one towards Vovchansk and another attack directly north of Kharkiv city itself – Russian forces have advanced several miles into the region. Last week,