Israel’s war in Gaza is further depriving Ukraine of ammunition to fight Russia

(Originally published Nov. 21 in “What in the World“) Israel’s war in Gaza is worsening the global shortage of artillery.

Before Hamas’ Oct. 7 invasion of Israel, the U.S. was dipping into its stockpiles of 155mm shells there and shipping them to Ukraine for Kyiv’s efforts to repel the Russian invasion. But after Oct. 7, Israel asked the Pentagon to leave them there for it to use in its own invasion of Gaza.

Now, after sending Ukraine more than 2.5 million 155mm shells, the United States and its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are running desperately low.

Still, the war in Ukraine grinds on, despite having slipped off the front pages. Russian forces continue to mount offensives in an attempt to clinch control of eastern Donestk province ahead of winter.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin paid a visit to Kyiv Monday in an effort to counter the impression from the U.S. Congress that support for Ukraine is dwindling.

Lloyd’s visit follows a surprise visit last week to Ukraine by David Cameron pledging British support for “as long as it takes.” Yes, that David Cameron. The same David Cameron who as U.K. prime minister in 2016 introduced the disastrous referendum on whether Britain should remain in the European Union. Cameron is back, appointed by current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as foreign secretary and off to fly the flag in Kyiv.

Remember when politicians used to do that to score political points back home? Joe Biden popped into Kyiv by train from Poland back in February, becoming the first U.S. President to visit an active war zone where Americans weren’t fighting. His wife, First Lady Jill Biden, ventured a few kilometers into western Ukraine the year before. French President Emmanuel Macron journeyed to Kyiv that year with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Britain’s then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson landed in Kyiv the next day, his second visit since the invasion. Johnson visited a third time before leaving office, then again in January to get his last stamp and collect his free cup of borscht.

Biden has a whole new front to fret about. After dashing detente minutes after meeting Xi Jinping by calling China’s president a dictator, Biden now must contend with news that Beijing may have developed advanced submarines every bit as sneaky as America’s. China has now reportedly launched subs that use the kind of pump-jet technology that makes U.S. submarines so stealthy. That will enable it to deploy larger subs than before. China is also apparently getting much better at detecting U.S. submarines. Both developments stand to alter the balance of power in the South China Sea and beyond.