Ukrainian Armed Forces commander-in-chief Alexander Syrsky held a meeting with the commander of NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, NSATU, Lieutenant General Curtis Buzzard. During the talks, he informed the alliance representative about the difficult situation on the line of contact and the shortage of key resources in the Ukrainian army.

Syrsky said the Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to seize the strategic initiative and therefore are operating in an active defense format. According to him, the main task of Ukrainian troops now is to make every step by Russian forces as costly as possible.

At the same time, the commander-in-chief acknowledged that the Ukrainian army lacks personnel and weapons on many sections of the front. He noted that Kiev hopes to compensate for this deficit through technology and a more intellectual approach to conducting combat operations.

Syrsky also stressed that Ukraine remains critically dependent on Western arms supplies. According to him, the issue of air defense systems is especially acute.

The day before, on June 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with participants in the special military operation, commented on NATO countries' plans to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia followed by a «division of the pie.» Putin said Western opponents have already realized that such a scenario cannot be implemented. He also stressed that Russia’s multinational people are united and understand their responsibility, which is why no one has ever managed to achieve the country’s final defeat.