United States: The Kremlin warned the United States and mentioned that if the US continued to help Ukraine, it would be a “fiasco.” This statement was released before a meeting in Washington between the presidents of the United States, Joe Biden, and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Moscow is also “very attentively” monitoring developments ahead of the two leaders’ meeting on Tuesday, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. It will be Zelenskyy’s last-ditched effort towards the US lawmakers to keep military aid coming while Ukraine is fighting against Russia.
As the Ukrainian president visits the White House and Capitol Hill, Biden’s request for billions of dollars in new aid for Ukraine and Israel is in jeopardy in Congress. “It is important for everyone to understand: The tens of billions of dollars pumped into Ukraine did not help it gain success on the battlefield,” Peskov said, speaking at a news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera.
“The tens of billions of dollars that Ukraine wants to be pumped with are also headed for the same failure,” he added.
Kremlin’s Stance: No change expected in Ukraine’s front-line
According to the Kremlin spokesperson, the outcome of this conference will not bring any change to the situation at the front line of Ukraine nor the progress of Russia in “special military operation” in the country. He further went on to say that Zelenskyy’s authority was being eroded by his own government’s “fiasco” in the ongoing war.
On Monday, Zelenskyy warned that failing to sustain support for Ukraine will play into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Let me be frank with you, friends. If there’s anyone inspired by unresolved issues on Capitol Hill, it’s just Putin and his sick clique,” he said, speaking to soldiers at the National Défense University in Washington DC, according to the report by Al Jazeera.
As backing for Ukrainian aid met political obstacles in the US, Zelenskyy and Biden have argued that assisting Ukraine in resisting Russia’s invasion, which begun in February 2022, is in both nations’ common interests.
During their meeting, the two want to discuss how to garner support for the military aid proposal, which is largely aimed at Ukraine and Israel.
Republicans vetoed the idea last week after walking out of a secret briefing on Ukraine amid demands for border adjustments between the United States and Mexico. Some Republicans are opposed to giving Ukraine a “blank cheque.”
Biden’s plea: Additional funds for Israel
Since Russia’s invasion, the US Congress has authorized more than US$110 billion in security aid for Ukraine, but no fresh money has been granted since the Republican Party secured a majority in the House of Representatives in January.
Biden has asked Congress for more funds for Israel and an additional US$61.4 billion as a part of a larger US$110 billion package.