WASHINGTON: The US secretaries of state and defence urged Congress on Tuesday (Oct 31) to maintain help for Ukraine and warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to make use of the Israel-Hamas war to scale back Western help for Kyiv.
President Joe Biden has mixed navy assist for Ukraine and Israel in a proposed US$106 billion bundle, however a major variety of Republicans in Congress – amongst whom help for Ukraine’s battle in opposition to Russia’s invasion is faltering – are opposed to linking the two.
“I can assure you that without our support, Putin will be successful,” Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin advised a Senate listening to on the supplemental funding request.
“If we pull the rug out from below them now, Putin will solely get stronger and he shall be profitable in doing what he needs to do in buying his neighbour’s sovereign territory,” he mentioned.
Washington is by far the largest donor of navy assist to Ukraine, committing some US$43.9 billion since Russian forces invaded in February 2022 – help that has helped Kyiv regain floor seized by Moscow.
However Republican opposition has put future help for Kyiv unsure, and the US authorities has needed to depend on beforehand authorised assist within the absence of recent funding from Congress.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken advised the identical listening to {that a} halt to US help for Ukraine may encourage different nations to comply with go well with.
“That is an occasion the place we have seen very vital burden-sharing that will nearly actually go away if we go away,” he mentioned.
