5:59 v originále: Odesa professor on the US weapons delivery to Ukraine

After much delay, the US will send to Ukraine a military and financial aid package worth 61 billion dollars. Ukrainian troops have been struggling on the battlefield in recent months against Russians due to lack of ammunition, fearing the war might end in defeat. Will newly armed Ukraine be better positioned now to fend off advancing Russian army?

It took six months for the U.S. Congress to approve a new military and financial package for Ukraine. It was a critical time for the Ukrainian troops who lacked weapons and above all ammunition. This was the reason why in recent weeks and months Ukrainian soldiers have been losing ground to slowly advancing Russians who were better equipped and also hold a manpower advantage over Ukrainians on the frontline.

Americans are to send a variety of weapons including long-range missiles known as ATACMS and greatly desired by Kiev which could now strike targets deep in Russian territory and could seriously complicate the Russian army logistics and supplies.

„All in all, that's a good development but it is too early to praise and too early to celebrate or be euphoric about that. There's a long war ahead of us, but it's definitely a step in the right direction,“ says Volodymyr Dubovyk, associate professor and director of the Center for International Studies at Odesa National University in Ukraine.

Still, he calls the American weapons delivery and other European initiatives like the one led by the Czech President Petr Pavel regarding ammunition very promising. Professor also mentions the push by German government to get the air defence systems for Ukraine.

But it is the American list that might prove to be decisive. At least American weapons might make the frontline more stable. According to professor Dubovyk, the American military list is long and has a variety of weapons on it. „It's everything. It's different types of shells, it's ship missiles, it's air defence systems and ammunition for them. It's de-mining (equipment),“ he describes the items on the list.

Ukrainian people welcomed the news that Americans are „back on board“, coming to Ukrainian aid once again, continues Dubovyk. This time even with the biggest package yet since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

„But at the same time people have some lingering bitterness about all this,“ notes the Odesa professor, saying people of Ukraine did not understand why it took so long for the US to act. Some even wonder if Americans still believe in Ukrainian victory on the battlefield. Then, there is also a question of how Donald Trump, if reelected this November, might treat Ukraine. It was his wing of the Republican party that had been blocking American assistance for Ukraine since October of last year.

But Trump appears to be changing his view on the subject. Dubovyk believes he might be worried that the voters could blame him if Ukraine was to fall to Russian aggression.

Despite the delay and signals that some U.S. lawmakers oppose continuous support for Ukraine, Volodymyr Dubovyk sees the US-Ukraine relationship as „strong and robust“. It is needed because, as he never fails to repeat, Ukraine is facing a formidable enemy that has doubled down on its war effort in the recent two years.

How popular is now the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in his country? And, does he face any serious challenge on the domestic political scene? Listen to the whole interview via the audio player at the top of the article.