Ukraine defense minister visits Pentagon amid questions about future of aid

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon on Wednesday (6 December), amid increasing warnings from President Joe Biden’s administration to Congress that it is running out of time and money to help Ukraine fight its war against Russia.

Biden’s administration in October asked Congress for nearly $106 billion to fund ambitious plans for Ukraine, Israel and US border security but Republicans who control the House with a slim majority rejected the package.

“We’ll discuss Ukraine’s strategic goals for the coming year and a long-term vision for a future force,” Austin said at the start of the meeting, sitting alongside General Charles Q. Brown, the top US general.

Austin announced an additional aid package for Kyiv, including air defense munitions.

Umerov thanked Austin for the United States’ support.

The talks at the Pentagon came as Biden administration officials and industry leaders met to discuss ways to support Ukraine’s military, which has burned through artillery fighting Russian forces faster than its Western allies can produce.

“We must expand Ukraine’s capacity to sustain the many different systems and platforms being provided by allies and partners around the world,” Austin said earlier.

Biden pleaded with Republicans for a fresh infusion of military aid for Ukraine on Wednesday, warning that a victory for Russia over Ukraine would leave Moscow in position to attack NATO allies.

By mid-November, the Pentagon had used 97% of $62.3 billion in supplemental funding it had received and the State Department had used all of the $4.7 billion in military assistance funding it had been allocated.

Congress has approved more than $110 billion for Ukraine since Russia’s February 2022 invasion but it has not approved any funds since Republicans took over the House from Democrats in January.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said on Tuesday that the postponement of US assistance for Kyiv being debated in Congress would create a “big risk” of Ukraine losing the war with Russia.

Ukraine conducted a major counteroffensive push this year, but was unable to break through Russian defensive lines. Russia is now on the offensive in the east.

Zelenskyy puts a brave face

Zelenskyy told Ukrainians on Wednesday that Kyiv would defeat Russia and win a fair peace “against all odds” as the future of vital US military and financial aid hung in the balance.

The President delivered his defiant message in an unusual early-morning video that showed him walking through Kyiv on his way to pay his respects to fallen soldiers on what Ukraine marks as Armed Forces Day.

“It has been difficult, but we have persevered,” said Zelenskyy, who filmed himself on a mobile phone as he walked from his office down the central Hrushevskoho street towards central Kyiv’s “wall of remembrance”.

“It is not easy now, but we are moving. No matter how difficult it is, we will get there. To our borders, to our people. To our peace. Fair peace. Free peace. Against all odds.”

On the streets of Kyiv, residents said they were worried and already felt the pain from delays in Western military aid.

“I’m scared that if Ukraine is left without help, the war will drag on longer and longer and it will be difficult to say when it could end,” Olha Starostenko, a 33-year-old economist, told Reuters TV.

“A friend of mine recently died fighting. We need to get the help as soon as possible, every day of delay means loss of human lives,” said Tymur Dushko, 51, who works as an adviser on labour security.

“These are power games that are going on… But I’m convinced that we will receive aid,” he added.

Kyiv has relied heavily on assistance from its Western allies against Russia’s much bigger army in the biggest war in Europe since World War Two, now in its 22nd month.

A proposed European Union military aid package has also run into resistance from some members of the bloc.

Ahead of an EU summit on 15-16 December expected to greenlight the start of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine, Hungary’s ruling party submitted a resolution to parliament, calling on the government not to support the start of such talks.

(Edited by Georgi Gotev)

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