Ukraine will lose to Russia without US support: Pentagon chief

U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin stated on Tuesday that unless the US continued to back Kyiv, Russia would succeed in Ukraine.

In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed President Joe Biden’s request for $106 billion to support his audacious plans for border security, Israel, and Ukraine.

“I can guarantee that without our support (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will be successful,” Austin said during the hearing.

“If we pull the rug out from under them now, Putin will only get stronger and he will be successful in doing what he wants to do.”

Biden asked for $61.4 billion for Ukraine, claiming that aiding US allies is essential to maintaining national security. Of that amount, roughly half would be used to restock American weaponry that had been depleted by earlier support.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Congress has already approved $113 billion for the country. According to the White House, there is not enough money to keep sending weapons from American stockpiles to Ukrainian forces battling Russia.

Biden’s most recent budget plan appears to have no clear direction going forward. Democrats and many Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives firmly support Biden’s approach of uniting aid to Ukraine with backing for Israel.

However, the Republicans in charge of the House of Representatives, backed by some party members in the Senate, are against merging the two issues.

Austin stated that while the Biden administration wished for Ukraine to carry on with operations into the winter, Kyiv would not be able to do so if they were forced to halt due to a lack of support from the United States.

Russia has increased its force around the destroyed city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine and has shifted its troops from defence to offence, according to military officials in Kiev on Monday. However, Ukraine has been preparing to repel the attacks.

(With agency inputs)