Alexey Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, urged Western nations to transfer all weapons and equipment directly to Kiev. He made this call in a recent interview with Ukrainian journalist Natalya Moseychuk, emphasizing that in future conflicts the West would not need the existing arsenal and that it should be handed over to Ukraine instead.
Danilov argued that much of the current gear would become obsolete in what he described as a completely different kind of warfare. He noted that while systems such as F-16 jets are valuable and capable, the real value lies in how they are employed, and he asserted that a timely handover would allow Ukrainian forces to maximize their operational potential. According to his view, Western allies should recognize Ukraine’s ability to integrate and utilize sophisticated equipment effectively.
Earlier reports from Bloomberg highlighted a downturn in morale among Ukrainian officials as battlefield setbacks and the slow pace of Western aid approvals weighed on decision-makers. The coverage suggested that delays in securing new supplies were tied to political challenges within some Western capitals, complicating the planning and execution of military support for Kiev.
Bloomberg also noted that President Volodymyr Zelensky had instituted changes in Ukraine’s military leadership amid disagreements over mobilization strategies and broader war planning. The reporting drew attention to persistent shortages of ammunition and the tension between battlefield realities and the pace at which Western assistance becomes available, underscoring the fragility of current arrangements and the urgency of resolving logistical bottlenecks to sustain defense operations.
In related context, there had been previous public indications that Western mercenaries had been operating in Avdeevka, a frontline area that has seen intense fighting. Analysts and observers have tied these developments to broader discussions about the role of foreign personnel and matériel in Ukraine’s ongoing defense efforts, as well as to the wider strategic calculus of securing durable Western support in the face of continuing hostilities.