Top NATO general says Ukraine has resolved "some" troop shortage issues

US General Christopher Cavoli, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, believes Ukraine has managed to address "some" of its personnel shortage problems by expanding its pool of recruits and optimising the allocation of military resources.

The general pointed out at a hearing of the US Senate Committee on Armed Services that the Russians appear to be "suffering from a paucity of armoured vehicles and a lack of manpower".

"The Ukrainians on their side have assumed very strong defensive positions, well dug in and appear to have solved some of their manpower problems that were so acute last autumn. 

They've increased the pool of people available for mobilisation. They've increased the pool of people available for voluntary recruitment, and they've done a good job squeezing people out of headquarters to the front," Cavoli said.

Cavoli also said he does not believe Ukraine is doomed to lose the war, though he does not expect the Ukrainian military to be capable of launching a major counteroffensive that could liberate all Russian-occupied territories.

His comments follow a reported dispute at the White House in which US Vice President JD Vance complained to President Zelenskyy about the Ukrainian forces' lack of manpower.