Zelenskyy will visit US ammunition factory to thank workers

washington — 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy connected Sunday volition sojourn the U.S. ammunition mill that is producing 1 of the astir critically needed munitions for Ukraine's combat to fend disconnected Russian crushed forces.

Zelenskyy is expected to spell to the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant successful the authorities of Pennsylvania to footwear disconnected a engaged week successful the United States shoring up enactment for Ukraine successful the war, according to 2 U.S. officials and a 3rd acquainted with Zelenskyy's docket who spoke connected the information of anonymity to supply details that were not yet public.

The Ukrainian person besides volition code the United Nations General Assembly yearly gathering successful New York and question to Washington for talks connected Thursday with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The Scranton works is 1 of the fewer facilities successful the state to manufacture 155 mm artillery shells. They are utilized successful howitzer systems, which are towed ample guns with agelong barrels that tin occurrence astatine assorted angles. Howitzers tin onslaught targets up to 15- 20 miles (24-32 kilometers) distant and are highly valued by crushed forces to instrumentality retired force targets from a protected distance.

Ukraine has already received much than 3 cardinal of the 155 mm shells from the U.S.

Still pushing for permission

With the warfare present good into its 3rd year, Zelenskyy has been pushing the U.S. for support to usage longer scope rocket systems to occurrence deeper wrong of Russia.

So acold helium has not persuaded the Pentagon oregon White House to loosen those restrictions. The Defense Department has emphasized that Ukraine tin already deed Moscow with Ukrainian-produced drones, and determination is hesitation connected the strategical implications of a U.S.-made rocket perchance striking the Russian capital.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia would beryllium "at war" with the United States and its NATO allies if they let Ukraine to usage the long-range weapons.

At 1 constituent successful the war, Ukraine was firing betwixt 6,000 and 8,000 of the 155 mm shells per day. That complaint started to deplete U.S. stockpiles and drew interest that the level connected manus was not capable to prolong U.S. subject needs if different large accepted warfare broke out, specified arsenic a imaginable struggle implicit Taiwan.

In response, the U.S. has invested successful restarting accumulation lines and is present manufacturing much than 40,000 155 mm rounds a month, with plans to deed 100,000 rounds a month. During his visit, Zelenskyy is expected conscionable and convey workers who person accrued accumulation of the 155 mm rounds implicit the past year.

Two of the Pentagon leaders who person pushed that accrued accumulation done — Doug Bush, adjunct caput of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, and Bill LaPlante, the Pentagon's apical weapons purchaser — are besides expected to articulation Zelenskyy astatine the plant, arsenic is Josh Shapiro, the politician of Pennsylvania.

US largest donor of aid

The 155 mm rounds are among the scores of ammunition, missile, aerial defence and precocious weapons systems the U.S. has provided Ukraine — everything from tiny arms bullets to precocious F-16 combatant jets. The U.S. has been the largest donor to Ukraine, providing much than $56 cardinal of the much than $106 cardinal NATO and spouse countries person collected to assistance successful its defense.

Even though Ukraine is not a subordinate of NATO, committedness to its defence is seen by galore European nations arsenic a indispensable to support Putin from further subject aggression that could endanger bordering NATO-member countries and effect successful a overmuch larger conflict.