The war between Israel and Hamas has led to a slowdown in the supply of shells to Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi told a small group of media, including AFP, on Thursday.

“Do you think the Middle East was the first to buy? 155 caliber projectiles. Our stocks have dwindled,” he said.

Israel, which enjoys the military support of the United States, has been relentlessly bombing the Gaza Strip since Hamas militants killed hundreds of civilians in an unprecedented attack in early October.

“It’s not like the USA said: we don’t give anything to Ukraine. No, we have serious, very strong relations,” Zelensky assured.

“It’s normal, everyone is fighting for survival,” he continued. “I’m not saying it’s a positive thing, but that’s life and we have to protect what’s ours.”

Russia and Ukraine are scrambling to maintain stockpiles of artillery shells after nearly two years of war following Moscow’s invasion.

South Korea said Pyongyang, a Russian ally, sent a million artillery shells to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in exchange for satellite expertise from Moscow.

For its part, Germany said this week that the EU will not meet its goal of sending one million artillery shells to Ukraine, despite its efforts.

“Today we have problems with 155-caliber projectiles,” Zelenskyi complained.

All over the world, “now warehouses are empty or there is a legal minimum that a certain state cannot give you,” he explained. – And that’s not enough.

At the same time, Zelensky welcomed the efforts of the US to increase the production of this type of ammunition.

Neither Russia nor Ukraine has made significant territorial gains over the past year, and the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces has acknowledged that the fighting has reached a stalemate.