Editorial
The US National Security Advisor, Jake sullivan, writes the WP, flew yesterday, in great secrecy, to Ukraine to reiterate the full support of the United States, despite the fact that the American Congress is still deadlocked on additional funds to support Kyiv's war effort.
Sullivan reached Ukraine at a very delicate moment where ammunition and men were lacking. The country's armed forces are in great difficulty, having retreated from the eastern city of Avdiivka, while the capital was heavily bombed by Russian missiles last night.
In the US Senate, however, the debate is particularly heated over the 60 billion dollar package for Ukraine. House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to put the measure to a vote, forcing the Pentagon to send weapons and equipment stored in its warehouses. A group of Republicans in Congress have blocked further funding for Ukraine, criticizing the Biden administration for failing to provide a clear vision of the war and wasting tens of billions of US dollars. The Pentagon last week, in fact, announced a $300 million aid package that includes Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, 155-millimeter artillery shells, 105-millimeter artillery shells, anti-tank systems and other munitions and equipment. Sullivan said yesterday that Washington is "rushing supplies made available by the Pentagon." He, however, refused to comment on the supply of ATACMS long-range missiles.
Senior Ukrainian officials have reported that the morale of the troops and the population is declining day by day after three harsh years of war.
Councilor Sullivan's trip aims, in fact, to instill confidence in the Ukrainian people: “You should believe in the United States” Sullivan told reporters during a briefing at Ukraine's presidential office in Kyiv. He then added: “We are confident that we will be able to do this. We will achieve this aid for Ukraine."
Sullivan highlighted that assistance from the United States and the West was crucial in protecting Ukraine's independence by allowing some sectors of its economy to recover, aiding the process of moving closer to joining the European Union. The hope is that Ukraine emerges from the war as a prosperous democracy, Sullivan told reporters, emphasizing: “We're going to get a strong bipartisan vote in the House for an assistance package for Ukraine and we're going to get that money out the door like we should, so I don't think we need to talk about a plan B today. We have already lost too much time... We are working to do it as soon as possible."
The US Secretary of Defense was in Germany last Tuesday Lloyd Austin had warned that Ukraine's survival was in "danger", saying continued US support was a matter of "honor" for Washington. “Ukraine will not back down and neither will the United States,” Austin said alongside the Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. "So our message today is clear: The United States will not let Ukraine fail. This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail.”
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