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Transcript/Script
NATO Ukraine (TV)
HEADLINE: NATO Pledges New Weapons for Ukraine With 'Strong Sense of Urgency'
TEASER: Ukraine warns next battles in Donbas 'will resemble World War II'
PUBLISHED AT: Thursday, 04/07/2022 at 8:37 p.m.
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: London
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
VIDEO EDITOR: Henry Ridgwell
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Holly Franko, BR
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, APTN, Reuters, Teams
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:08
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE: VPKGN
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO))
[[U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Thursday new weapons are being delivered to Ukrainian forces with a "strong sense of urgency," following a two-day meeting of NATO and G-7 foreign ministers in Brussels. As Henry Ridgwell reports, Ukraine's foreign minister told NATO that the coming battles against invading Russian forces will resemble "World War II." ]]
((NARRATOR))
Visiting NATO, Ukraine's foreign minister said his message could be summarized in three words: "weapons, weapons and weapons."
((Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister (in English) ))
"Either you help us now – and I'm speaking about days, not weeks – or your help will come too late. And many people will die."
((NARRATOR))
Kuleba warned that Russian forces are regrouping to focus on the eastern Donbas region.
((Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister (in English) ))
"The battle for Donbas will remind you of the Second World War, with large operations and maneuvers, the involvement of thousands of tanks, armored vehicles, planes, artillery
((NARRATOR))
Was that enough to persuade NATO and G-7 ministers? The U.S. secretary of state said more weapons were on their way to Ukraine.
((Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State))
"We are looking at – day in day out – what we believe they most need to include new systems that have not heretofore been provided. We're listening to, to them in terms of their assessment of what they need. We're putting that all together, and we're proceeding, and we have a strong sense of urgency. That was something that I think was felt amongst all allies and partners here, today."
((NARRATOR))
Blinken also condemned the apparent civilian massacres carried out by Russian forces in towns like Bucha – which Moscow has denied, despite mounting evidence.
((Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State))
"For every Bucha, there are many more towns Russia has occupied, and more towns it is still occupying, places where we must assume Russian soldiers are committing more atrocities right now."
((NARRATOR))
The West's appetite to supply a greater quantity and range of weapons to Ukraine is growing, says analyst Malcolm Chalmers.
((Malcolm Chalmers, Royal United Services Institute)) ((Via Teams, no courtesy needed))
"Because of the atrocities that we're seeing now on our TV screens. And not least because the Ukrainians are actually winning in important respects. They've won the battle in the north and they're getting ready for a fight in the east, so people really do believe the Ukrainians have a chance of achieving most of their objectives. NATO countries will want a Russian military that is seen to be weakened."
((NARRATOR))
In the east, Russia controls more territory – and Ukraine will require additional types of weapons, says Chalmers.
((Malcolm Chalmers, Royal United Services Institute)) ((Via Teams, no courtesy needed))
"Particularly ones which can reach deeper behind Russian lines, to hold at risk, for example, Russian longer-range artillery, which anti-tank weapons cannot do at (that) range. And also to have effective air defenses."
((NARRATOR))
For Ukraine, the immediate priority is getting heavy weapons to the eastern frontlines – as its forces prepare for the next Russian offensive.
((Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, London))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)London
Embargo DateApril 8, 2022 00:33 EDT
Byline
((Henry Ridgwell, for VOA News, London))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
