Ukraine’s Zelenskyy: ‘Asks For More’ – OpEd
By Patial RC
War and Peace
On one hand Ukrainian President Zelensky has been proposing a special summit, which he called the ‘Global Peace Formula Summit’ to secure Ukraine’s security and territorial integrity and on the other hand keep rushing to the US President Biden for seeking more aid to continue fighting the war knowing well that his God Father Biden hates Putin! Biden said. “We can’t let Putin win,” Zelensky is also to virtually meet G7 leaders as Ukraine faces ‘Big Risk of losing war due to delayed US aid.’ So far, no efforts have been seen towards making Peace by Zelensky other than seeking weapons to continue fighting Russia with his and US Biden’s fancy hope to win and defeat Russia! NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said “NATO is ready to support Ukraine for years in the war against Russia with modern Western military equipment and weapons and Weapons are the way to peace,”
The Truth comes out as American warmongers US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is promoting pursuing war for profit while speaking in a joint Press Conference with Britain Foreign Secretary David Cameron: “If you look at the investments that we made in Ukraine’s defense to deal with this aggression, 90 percent of the security assistance we provided has actually been spent here in the United States with our Military-Industrial Complex manufacturers for production, and that’s produced more American jobs, more growth in our own economy”. The Ukrainian Media has also claimed only a third of aid reaches Ukraine. Is it the truth of Blinken’s statement or the rampart corruption in Ukraine. Blinken calls “US war aid to Ukraine a win-win that we need to continue.”
President Putin vowed (14 Dec,2024- four-hour press conference) to fight on in Ukraine until Moscow secures the country’s demilitarization and neutrality, unless Kyiv accepts a deal that achieves those goals. Ukraine has stepped up its pursuit of NATO and EU membership, steps that it regards as vital for its self-defence and independence from Russia but are opposed by Moscow. Putin reiterated his view that the Western military NATO alliance’s eastward expansion was the main cause of the war.
Biden signed off on $200 million in new military assistance during Zelensky’s visit, but lawmakers are unlikely to deliver until 2024.US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has said that the funding request failure of the $60 billion aid proposal by President Biden means the country would be “Responsible for Ukraine’s Defeat”. Ukrainian President Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, voiced a similar warning. He said that the postponement of US assistance would create a “Big Risk” of Ukraine losing the war against Russia. Biden said “if Congress failed to support Ukraine would be a Christmas gift to Russia’s President Putin”.
Zelensky Promotes Ukraine’s successes in its war against Russia
- Zelensky used his visit to Washington to promote Ukraine’s successes in its nearly two-year war
- Meanwhile, Zelensky told Biden that his country could still win the war. He said that Ukraine’s troops “prove every day that Ukraine can win”.
- Zelensky said next year the focus will be on scaling up Ukraine’s air defenses and “destroying Russian logistics on Ukraine’s land.”
- The Ukrainian president, when asked to comment on giving up any Ukrainian territory as part of potential negotiations with Russia, rejected the idea outright, calling it “Insane.”
US Aid to Ukraine War?
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine US has sent more than $75 billion in cash and equipment to Ukraine for its defense. Most of the aid has gone to Ukraine’s military operations, keeping its government running and addressing its humanitarian needs.
US has been cautious about providing Heavy weapons to Ukraine in the early months of the conflict, fearing it would escalate the conflict with Russia. US initially sent shoulder-fired Stinger anti-aircraft and Javelin anti-tank missiles, and later with HIMARS — High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems — and Patriot anti-missile batteries, more advanced weapons flowed to the front lines in 2022.
Recently the US has dropped its reservations to major weapons systems and is sending long-range missiles, called ATACMS. US has also agreed to dispatch Abrams tanks and allow Western allies to send US made F-16 fighter jets.
According to the Kiel Institute, which tracks support the Commitments made to 31 October: US $46.3bn, Germany $18.1bn, UK $6.9bn, Norway $3.8bn, Denmark $3.7bn, Poland $3.2bn, Netherlands $2.6bn, Canada $2.2bn, Sweden $2.1bn and Finland $1.5bn.
US is currently producing new artillery rounds at a rate of 24,000 per month and is on track to produce more than 80,000 rounds per month over the following year. (Douglas R. Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition).It is believed Ukraine fires over 1000 shells every day.
Even amid the disagreement over the new funding package, the US unveiled aid for Kyiv worth $175m from the dwindling supply of money that has already been approved.
In the overall analysis it is difficult to detail out how much aid is really reaching Ukraine as per reports and statements made. Only opposition in Ukraine and media may be able to get at the near truth. Ukraine has become a bottomless begging bowl for the aid with Ukrainian President Zelensky doing what he knows best ‘Seeking Aid.’
Ukrainian President Zelensky left Washington securing vocal support from President Biden, but his visit was unable to break a congressional deadlock that is holding up billions of dollars of aid for Ukraine. Biden said “We are going to stand at your side” despite the fact that Republicans have blocked a new $60 billion package. While Zelensky said he felt support in words from his meetings in Washington but he underscored that “he is searching for concrete actions and we will count on particular results.”
An emergency spending bill to provide billions of dollars in new security assistance for Ukraine and Israel was blocked in the US Senate. Republicans anger is over the exclusion of immigration reforms they had demanded as part of the package. President Biden’s push to provide new aid before the end of 2023 is getting threatened. “They’re willing to literally kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield and damage our national security in the process,” Biden said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson who voted against aid to Kyiv before he took on the job, has made clear he will not agree to send any more money without “transformative” changes to border policy. “The American people deserve nothing less,” Johnson said.
Border security with Mexico has emerged as a major stumbling block to continued support for Ukraine. Biden said he was willing to make “significant” compromises on the border issue but said Republicans would not get everything they wanted.
