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Elbridge Colby (Photo: REUTERS/Tom Nicholson)
As Russia rebuilds its armed forces and defense industry, European
countries must prepare for a protracted
war and for Ukraine to need support in the “coming months and years,”
Elbridge Colby, the U.S. under secretary of defense for policy, said on Sept.
8.
Colby made the remarks at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.
“We need to be prepared for a protracted conflict and for Ukraine’s needs to continue in the coming months and years,” Colby said.
“We also need to be prepared for other potential contingencies.”
He also stated that the current situation makes it even more important for Europe to support Ukraine while accelerating its own rearmament and reindustrialization.
“Europe must continue — and, if necessary, increase — its support for Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs through the PURL [Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List] mechanism,” he said, referring to the program under which Europe buys U.S. arms on Ukraine’s behalf.
“The steady supply of ammunition and critical equipment is effective. It remains extremely important to enable the Ukrainian armed forces to hold the front line and prevent further advances by Russian forces.”
According to Colby, European countries must also begin planning stable procurement programs that will support the long-term rebuilding of Ukraine’s armed forces and meet their own defense needs.
“We must plan and implement our investments based on
military effectiveness, not secondary objectives,” he said.
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