In the first months after the Normandy landings in June 1944. Allied forces were advancing so rapidly in France and Belgium that they were pulled far from their supply lines.. Therefore, instead of fighting the German army on a broad front, General Dwight Eisenhower was forced to move on to attacks on narrower fronts.. This led to the fact that the war dragged on even into 1945..

Soon logistical problems will befall Ukraine and NATO. It may well force them to change their strategy, writes retired U.S. Army Brigadier General and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Mark Kimmit in an article for the Wall Street Journal..

On August 19, the United States allocated another $775 million in aid to Ukraine. This package includes additional Javelin anti-tank missiles, missiles for HIMARS and artillery ammunition.. In addition, Kyiv received TOW anti-tank missiles, as well as ammunition for howitzers with a caliber of 105 millimeters or less.. The latest systems are older and less advanced than the technique that has been passed down so far.. This may indicate that the rate of use of weapons on the battlefield is outstripping production.. And the surplus that could be transferred to Ukraine was almost exhausted. If so, then NATO needs to do something about its dwindling stock of advanced weapons.. Most likely, this will lead to the fact that the war will be longer, and there will be more victims.. This means that pressure from donor countries will increase, inflation will drag on for longer, there will be less gas reserves for heating, and public support will decrease..

However, according to Kimmit, there are several solutions.. One of them is to start using stockpiles of weapons that were reserved in case NATO countries have to defend themselves. It can be noted, especially in Europe, that it is necessary to transfer weapons to Ukraine in order to protect itself from the full strength of the Russian army.. And a Russian defeat on the battlefield will reduce that threat.. This is not an easy but necessary step to stop the war in Ukraine. After all, it is better to use Western weapons in Kherson, and not in Krakow.

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The second solution is to use the Defense Production Act and its European equivalents to fill a critical shortage in weapons and ammunition.. Stockpiles of Javelins and HIMARS missiles require special attention. However, given production timelines and supply chain issues (each Javelin contains more than 250 semiconductor chips), such efforts are unlikely to bring tangible results over the next year..

Another option is to escalate the conflict by transferring additional long-range assets to Ukraine, including ATACMS missiles, F-16 aircraft and Patriot systems.. All these weapons allow you to attack targets in the Crimea and on the territory of Russia. Without a doubt, this option would provoke a reaction from Moscow, which has so far refrained from mobilizing all the men in the country, and also did not use some of its weapons.. Such a move could shake NATO unity. As allies in Europe are unwilling to take risks that could potentially spread conflict to them. However, this may still be a necessary step.. Because if the situation remains at a standstill, it will consume all the depleted weapons.

The fourth option is the most unpleasant for President Volodymyr Zelensky. It involves the start of negotiations on a temporary diplomatic solution without (or with) territorial concessions.. It is impossible to negotiate with Vladimir Putin. However, as long as both sides believe they are winning (or at least not losing), there is little willingness to engage in dialogue.. However, Zelenskiy should recognize that the reduction in the supply of weapons will be disastrous for the Ukrainian army.. And it's not just about operations on the battlefield.. Ukrainians will receive a signal that external support is declining. It will be unpleasant to start looking for a diplomatic solution. But since there is little chance of getting out of the current quagmire, it may be better to start negotiations now than later..

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In modern high-intensity warfare, logistics is the Achilles' heel. Good preparation, smart tactics and brave soldiers are all critical ingredients..

But without weapons, food and fuel, the armies can do nothing.. Perhaps this is what is happening now, as the battlefield has become almost static and a breakthrough seems unlikely..

The military often talks about the important ability to see things clearly and comprehensively.. Looking at a protracted war to come, as precision-guided weapons stockpiles dwindle and casualties rise, Zelenskiy and NATO need to make tough decisions before those decisions are forced on them..