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WASHINGTON: The US secretaries of state and defence urged Congress on Tuesday (Oct 31) to maintain help for Ukraine and warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin desires to make use of the Israel-Hamas conflict to cut back Western help for Kyiv.
President Joe Biden has mixed navy support for Ukraine and Israel in a proposed US$106 billion package deal, however a major variety of Republicans in Congress – amongst whom help for Ukraine’s battle towards Russia’s invasion is faltering – are against linking the 2.
“I can assure you that with out our help, Putin will probably be profitable,” Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin informed a Senate listening to on the supplemental funding request.
“If we pull the rug out from underneath them now, Putin will solely get stronger and he will probably be profitable in doing what he desires to do in buying his neighbour’s sovereign territory,” he mentioned.
Washington is by far the largest donor of navy support to Ukraine, committing some US$43.9 billion since Russian forces invaded in February 2022 – help that has helped Kyiv regain floor seized by Moscow.
However Republican opposition has put future help for Kyiv doubtful, and the US authorities has needed to depend on beforehand authorised support within the absence of latest funding from Congress.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed the identical listening to {that a} halt to US help for Ukraine may encourage different international locations to observe go well with.
“That is an occasion the place we have seen very vital burden-sharing that may nearly actually go away if we go away,” he mentioned.
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