Ukraine sees ‘big risk’ of losing war if US Congress postpones vital aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff said on Tuesday (5 December) that the postponement of US assistance for Kyiv being debated in Congress would create a “big risk” of Ukraine losing the war with Russia.

Zelenskyy later canceled plans to address Congress to appeal directly for US aid as Congress wrangled over Republican demands to tie the aid to a revamp of US immigration and border policies. US lawmakers have been debating a supplemental spending package of over $100 billion that would include aid to Ukraine and Israel, as well as border funding.

The remarks by Andriy Yermak were some of the frankest yet from a senior Kyiv official as uncertainty swirls over the future of vital US and EU assistance packages as Ukraine’s war with Russia rages on.

If the aid is postponed, “it gives the big risk that we can be in the same position to which we’re located now,” he said, addressing the audience in English.

“And of course, it makes this very high possibility impossible to continually liberate and give the big risk to lose this war.”

‘Running out of time and money’

On Monday, White House officials said the US was running out of time and money to help Ukraine fight its war against Russia.

President Joe Biden’s administration asked Congress in October 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.

US officials hope they can still get a significant package approved.

Yermak singled out the threat of no more direct budgetary support as a problem. The Ukrainian government expects to have a $43 billion budget deficit next year.

“Of course, without this direct budget support, it will be difficult to keep … in (the) same positions and… for the people to really survive…during the situation when the war will continue,” he said.

“That is why it is extremely critically important that this support will be voted and will be voted as soon as possible.”

Yermak was making his second visit to Washington in a matter of weeks. He said he planned to press lawmakers and administration officials on the critical importance that Congress approve the new aid package.

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.

Yermak said that Kyiv had a plan for the next year.

“We really have a plan and this plan…includes the military operations…includes diplomatic activity and of course it includes our cooperation in the communications and information,” he said.

The Biden administration messages

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Tuesday that the US would be “responsible for Ukraine’s defeat” if Congress fails to approve the Biden administration’s latest multi-billion-dollar funding request for the war-torn country.

Yellen told reporters on a trip to Mexico City that the funding – particularly for Ukraine’s general government budget support – was “utterly essential” and a pre-condition to keep International Monetary Fund support flowing to Ukraine.

“I’ve talked to members of Congress, my colleagues have. I think they understand this, that this is a dire situation and we can hold ourselves responsible for Ukraine’s defeat if we don’t manage to get this funding to Ukraine that’s needed, and I’m including direct budget support here because that’s utterly essential,” Yellen said.

Yellen said the US funding for Ukraine was also essential for US allies in Europe that were providing more generous aid to help Ukraine prevail in its struggle against Russian aggression.

“Ukraine is just running out of money,” Yellen said. “They’re spending more than every penny they’re taking in, in tax revenue, on military salaries and defense, and they wouldn’t have any schools or hospital or first responders if not for the money we’re sending to them to support them.”

The US aid to Russia has come with “very strong controls to guard against any misuse of the funds, any corruption,” Yellen said, adding that the government budget support was being channeled through the World Bank, which has strong anti-corruption safeguards to ensure the money goes to intended uses.

(Edited by Georgi Gotev)

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