US support for Ukraine
Austin warns of Putin’s success if there is no help
October 31, 2023, 8:46 p.m
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Washington’s arms supplies to Kiev are in danger of running out if the US Congress does not release new funds. At a hearing, US Defense Secretary Austin tries to convince skeptics in the Republican ranks of the new financial package for Ukraine.
The US government has urgently warned against easing up on aid to Ukraine because of Israel’s support in the war against the radical Islamic Hamas. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a Senate hearing that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to “exploit” the Hamas attack on Israel. He hoped that the Middle East war would “distract” the West and that the US would cut corners in supporting Ukraine.
If the US stops its military aid to Kiev, other Western countries would do the same, Blinken warned. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the same hearing that without US support, Ukraine would lose out in repelling Russia’s war of aggression. “I can guarantee you that Putin will be successful without our support (for Ukraine),” Austin said. “If we pull the rug out from under them now, Putin will only become stronger and succeed in what he wants: annexing his neighbor’s sovereign territory.”
The USA is Ukraine’s main supporter in the war against Russia. Since the Russian war of aggression began in February 2022, Washington has provided or promised military aid to Kiev totaling around $44 billion (almost 42 billion euros). However, arms supplies are in danger of running out soon if the US Congress does not release new funding. There is resistance to new aid to Ukraine among the opposition Republicans, who make up the majority in the House of Representatives.
A week and a half ago, US President Joe Biden asked Parliament for a financial package worth more than $105 billion, which includes, among other things, $61.4 billion for Ukraine and $14.3 billion for Israel. A heated argument has already broken out over the requested funds between the government and Biden’s Democrats on the one hand and the Republicans on the other.