In recent months, Ukraine’s supply levels of essential resources have been steadily decreasing this is due to a lack of support from the United States and other countries. This is a result of a funding bill that was not passed due to the gridlock in Congress. However, on April 23rd, the United States Congress passed a $95 billion funding bill for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The bill allocates $26 billion for Israel, $8 billion for Taiwan, while the remainder is designated for Ukraine’s war efforts against the Russian invasion.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, expressed gratitude for the United States Congress’s approval of the vital aid package. Ukraine has been struggling to fend off the Russian offensive for months while US funding is dwindling. According to CNN, Russia continues to make efforts in the regions of Advika and Donetsk. Ukraine reports that they are using drones and self-destructing drones to deter the push, but the Russians are still advancing into industrial areas such as Krasnohorivka.
ABC News reports that Russia has plenty of men from the draft they initiated a year ago, and former members of the Wagner group, who attempted to overthrow the Russian government but failed, are currently enrolling in the Russian army.
Currently, Ukraine is actively seeking to join NATO, a treaty with the US and most European countries, to acquire more military supplies. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has stated that he would consider sending French troops to Ukraine if the Russians were to break through the front lines, provided that a Ukrainian request is made.
Talks surrounding Ukraine’s potential membership in NATO have been contentious, given Russia’s rising chances of winning the war.
During a recent conversation with a Ukrainian citizen, whose name will remain disclosed, I inquired about the impact of the ongoing conflict on his life. He shared that he had grown accustomed to war, having experienced Russia’s takeover of Crimea and other parts of Ukraine in 2008. He expressed skepticism about the French president’s intentions to deploy troops, and refrained from commenting on Ukraine’s potential accession to NATO. However, he expressed a desire for increased intervention by NATO, given Ukraine’s challenges. While acknowledging that his daily routine has not been significantly affected by the conflict, he noted that fluctuating prices and the persistent sound of air sirens are commonplace. Furthermore, he reported that he and most Ukrainian citizens have become desensitized to the sound of air sirens.
