The United States is “closely monitoring” the pace of ammunition consumption by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in order to meet their needs.
This was stated by the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia Laura Cooper at a briefing in the Pentagon
“We are monitoring their ammunition consumption rates very closely to make sure they have what it takes to counterattack,” the official said.
Cooper expressed confidence that the additional HIMARS systems provided by the US in the new aid package will strengthen Ukraine’s capabilities on the battlefield.
“The US is providing additional munitions, but we are also investing in munitions production. And we see our allies and partners investing in munitions production. We held a meeting last week with allies and arms directors, where we discussed ways to ensure the stability of the industrial base to further support Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia is turning to North Korea and Iran for help,” she compared.
Answering journalists’ questions about whether the United States has enough ammunition for its own needs and to provide aid to Ukraine, the representative of the State Department confirmed that the production of ammunition in the country is increasing.
“Over time, we will have a steady rate of production both for ourselves and for Ukrainians,” she promised.
Commenting on whether the U.S. is considering providing long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, Cooper said the HIMARS currently allows the Armed Forces to hit most targets on the battlefield
