Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal suggested a counteroffensive by Ukraine could begin in the summer. He spoke in an interview with The Hill.
“We have shown again and again that we can execute operations. We are asking international partners for additional military capabilities such as tanks, ammunition, aircraft, and armored vehicles,” he stated.
Shmyhal emphasized that Ukraine did not feel pressure from its partners, who understand that launching a counterattack requires complete readiness and even greater preparation.
The Ukrainian army needs more artillery, ammunition, medium and long-range missiles, and tanks, along with warplanes, he added.
The Hill notes that Shmyhal traveled to Washington to participate in meetings including the spring gathering of the International Monetary and Financial Committee and the Joint Development Committee of the IMF and World Bank. He intended to seek further economic support for Ukraine.
Earlier, he visited Canada and met Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Shmyhal arrived with a flight plan that featured a fighter jet emoji, a Ukrainian flag, and praying hands on his clothing.
Following the meeting with Trudeau, Ottawa agreed to send a new military aid package to Kyiv. TASS reported that the package would include machine guns and ammunition. Ukraine also asked Canada to expand its mission to train Ukrainian forces to NATO standards.
Versions of the counterattack
Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, told ARD on April 11 that leaks of secret Pentagon materials would not derail Kyiv’s military plans. He said the decision to start would come at the last moment and stressed that multiple options were considered. He noted that if the leaked information is truly classified, US and UK officials would know its source and timing.
Danilov added that some information about Kyiv’s plans circulating online alongside other U.S. defense documents is not a secret. On April 7, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Ukraine would launch a counterattack in the coming weeks, while highlighting ongoing international support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He mentioned a likely counterattack in the near term.
The same sentiment was echoed on April 3 by Julian Smith, U.S. permanent representative to NATO, who spoke about expectations for a spring counterattack before a NATO Foreign Ministers meeting.
Kommersant reported that Western allies were increasing arms supplies to Kyiv as they awaited Ukrainian actions. Germany and Britain dispatched the promised tanks, and France doubled its 155 mm shell deliveries.
On March 29, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told ERR that the counterattack was planned to unfold across several directions. He explained that weather conditions would influence timing and predicted a spring campaign in April or May.
Speculation about the spring offensive extended to May and June as officials weighed operational conditions. A Russian official, Viktor Bondarev, suggested that offensive actions could occur from May through October and that Western equipment could be useful, but mud-choked terrain remained a challenge. He asserted that Russia stood ready to meet any challenge and would set terms for peace that ensure national safety and well-being for its citizens.
On the same day, the Kremlin stated that Russian forces monitor information about Ukrainian actions and consider it when planning operations inside Ukraine. Separately, Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner PMC, warned that Kyiv is training hundreds of thousands of personnel, calling that effort significant and not to be underestimated. [Cite: Various official briefings and news reports]