Russia to Succeed in Ukraine, only if US Stops Support: US official

Wed Nov 01 2023
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WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has that Russia would be successful in Ukraine only if the United States cut down its support for Kyiv, Western media reported on Tuesday.

Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified to the Senate Appropriations Committee on President Joe Biden’s request for $106 billion to finance plans for Ukraine, Israel and US border security.

Austin said during the hearing said without US support Putin will be successful in Ukraine. He added Putin will get stronger and he will be successful in doing what he wants to do if US stopes its military assistance to Ukraine.

Biden requested $61.4 billion for Ukraine

Arguing that supporting US partners is important to national security, Biden requested $61.4 billion for Ukraine, about half of which would be spent in the United States to restock weapons drained by previous support.

Congress has already approved $113 billion for Ukraine since the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow started in February 2022. The White House has said it has less than $5.5 billion to continue transferring arms from US to Ukrainian forces fighting Russia.

The path for Biden’s latest funding plan looks uncertain. Democrats support Biden’s strategy of combining Ukraine aid with support for Israel.

But Republicans who have majority in the House of Representatives object to combining the two issues, joined by some members in the Senate.

Austin said the Biden administration wanted Ukraine to continue it’s during the winter season, but Kyiv would not be able to do that if US stops support.

Ukrainian military officials have said that Russia has increased its forces around the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine and has switched its troops from defense to offense, however Ukraine has been preparing to counter the attacks.

 

 

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