White House warns Putin could win if Ukraine aid dries up
The White House issued a stark warning Monday that U.S. aid to Ukraine will run out by the end of the year, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin could win the war if Congress fails to agree on new funding. .
President Joe Biden's budget director, Sharanda Young, says in a candid letter to Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson that Kiev's fight against Russian aggression will “come to a knee” if military aid dries up. He said it would happen.
Democrat Biden in October asked Congress for a massive $106 billion national security package, including military aid to Ukraine and Israel's war against Hamas, but the funding has been stalled on Capitol Hill.
“There is no magic fund that can meet this moment. We have no money, and very little time,” Young wrote.
“Cutting off the flow of U.S. arms and equipment would bring Ukraine to its knees on the battlefield, not only jeopardizing the gains it has made but also increasing the likelihood of a military victory for Russia. .”
Jake Sullivan, the president's national security adviser, went further, suggesting that voting against aid to Ukraine was effectively voting to make it easier for Russia to succeed.
“Congress must decide whether it will continue to support Ukraine's fight for freedom…or whether it will ignore the lessons of history and allow President Putin to win,” Sullivan told reporters at the White House. he said.
“It's that simple. It's a very tough choice.”
～“Judgment of History”～
After a failed Kiev counteroffensive in the summer, Ukraine is desperate for more Western aid as Russian forces step up attacks in the winter.
But Congress has been paralyzed for months by Republican infighting, with far-right lawmakers in particular opposing further aid to Kiev as the war enters its third year.
U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will speak via a secure video link to a closed session for senators on Tuesday.
Schumer called on all senators to attend the conference “so we can hear directly from him exactly what's at stake in this vote.”
House Speaker Johnson, who took office in October after his predecessor was ousted in a right-wing coup, responded calmly to the White House's letter.
“The Biden administration has failed to substantively address my council's legitimate concerns about the lack of a clear strategy in Ukraine,” Johnson said on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
Johnson also reiterated Republican claims to link aid to Ukraine to changes in U.S. policy on the southern border with Mexico as migrant arrivals surge.
Biden labeled Putin and Hamas as twin forces seeking to “annihilate” neighboring democracies, and in October called for $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, along with border funding. , tried to match the $14 billion destined for Israel.
Schumer said if Congress doesn't act, “the judgment of history is going to be really harsh.”
“President Vladimir Putin is definitely watching. Hamas is watching. Iran, President Xi, North Korea, our enemies are all watching closely.”
– President Putin: “Peace will not come true” –
Despite a large-scale offensive by Ukrainian forces using Western military equipment this summer, Ukraine's front lines remained largely static over the past year.
The United States has already allocated $111 billion to Ukraine since the February 2022 invasion of Russia, including $67 billion in military supplies, Young said.
European countries also face challenges securing funding for Ukraine as war fatigue sets in.
There are growing concerns in Washington that Putin will be content to leave the situation alone until next year's U.S. presidential election, a repeat of the 2020 race between Biden and former President Donald Trump. Probability is high.
Opinion polls show a growing number of voters believe the United States is doing too much to help Kiev.
“My prediction is that President Putin will not make peace or meaningful peace until he sees the results of our election,” a senior State Department official told reporters last week.
The official did not say why, but the Russian government is widely seen as supporting Trump's return, with Trump praising the Russian leader and questioning U.S. aid to Ukraine. There is.
Source: guardian.ng