June 17 (Reuters) - Ukraine is seeking an additional $20 billion in military funding from its allies, Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Wednesday at a joint press conference with his Dutch counterpart.
A Ukrainian defence source told Reuters last week that Ukraine would make the request on Thursday at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, an alliance of more than 50 countries also known as the Ramstein group that provides financial and military aid for Kyiv.
Fedorov said that of the nearly $40 billion funding already announced, Ukraine saw $24 billion in the supply schedule.
He added that Ukraine has been working with partners recently to increase the quality of the aid so that it corresponds to Kyiv’s priorities such as extended-range artillery, Ukrainian drones, investments in NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative and air defence.
“And that is why we are working to improve the quality of this aid and secure an additional 20 billion on top of the 40 billion that has already been announced,” Fedorov said.
“We are trying to convey to our partners that there is a window of opportunity,” he said.
Russia’s advances have slowed this year as Ukrainian mid-range drone strikes have harmed its supplies and logistics for the front line. Long-range drone strikes are meanwhile impacting Russia’s energy sector.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian military commanders have said the dynamics on the battlefield have given them a window this year to bring Russia to the negotiating table on more favourable terms.
(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Alex Richardson and Hugh Lawson)
