You are listening to the War in the Rocks podcast on strategy, defense and foreign affairs.

My name is Ryan Evans. I'm the founder of War in the rocks and sitting here again with Mike Coffman

who is fresh back from his latest research trip to Ukraine with some of his comrades Rob Lee,

Franz Stephan Getty, and Conrad Uzi Cup.

Mike, glad you made it out safe.

What are some of the big takeaways?

Thanks, Ron.

Good to be back.

So I think my base impression is that the current situation is not dire but naturally trending in

negative direction following the retreat of Ukrainian forces from

of DFCO. My impression is that the Ukrainian military is actively

working to stabilize the front line and it might be a bit too soon to say that stabilized but at least for the moment it looks like it's trending in that direction certainly at least until the next major

set of Russian offensive operations.

My view is that Ukraine right now is dealing with three interrelated challenges.

And I broadly describe them as manpower, fortifications, and the continued issue of a deficit of ammunition.

And that Ukraine is, at least on a path to resolve the issue of fortifications and building defensive lines.

There is a vision to address the manpower issue, but I think that's the most acute problem and the one that has the longest lead time to solve why the next several months are important.

And on the issue of ammunition and supply, that I think substantially depends on Western support, both what happens here in Washington, D.C. in Congress, and also the extent to which European countries are able to get their act

together on production and this purchase proposal by the checks to buy

ammunition outside of the European Union.

So let's slow down and talk about some of those

because you just raised some really big issues.

...