President Joseph R. Biden Jr. A regular drumbeat of military support for Ukraine, and sent hundreds crying with millions scal for them to shoot, tens of thousands accompanied Artillery missilesAnd Advanced air defense rocket Systems to keep Russian invaders at bay.
During all this time, the question was not whether the US would send more weapons, but How advanced they would be, and How far can they reach In Russia?
The exception to that rule was a period of 119 days that started in December 2023, when speaker Mike Johnson prevent a mood About more help for Ukraine in the House of Representatives. That movement almost led to catastrophe for Ukraine like his troops started without getting ammunitionwhat is indignation White HouseSome members of the congress and the public.
Friday marks a grim milestone for Ukraine – The 120th day since the last new aid package was announced on January 8, the length of Mr Johnson’s devastating handle.
At the Pentagon there is silence. During the BIDEN administration, on the other hand, there were press briefings only a few days or weeks apart and arms shipments worth millions or even billions of dollars each announced.
After Pete Hegseeth became a defense secretary at the end of January, His office promised To be ‘the most transparent Ministry of Defense in history’, but there has only been one Pentagon briefing for reporters during the first 100 days of the Trump administration.
The briefing did not mention extra help for Ukraine and only vague support for a cease-fire in Ukraine.
Mr. Hegseeth’s office did not answer When asked whether he was planning to issue the remaining $ 3.85 billion that the congress has authorized for extra recordings of the stocks of the Ministry of Defense for KYIV.
The band of Ukraine with the United States, which once seemed unbreakable, seems to have been suspended.
During the almost fourth month of Mr. Johnson, the Biden administration continued to exert pressure on the pressure on the congress and kept Lines of communication with President VolodyMyr Zensky from Ukraine. In November 2023, Minister of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III traveled to Ukraine to reassure Mr Zelensky that the Biden government had not left his country.
Three months later, the Pentagon compiled a single package of $ 300 million that said it Provided “a stop hole in the short term”, although “not long enough to meet the needs of the Okraine battlefield.”
“Without additional financing,” the Pentagon said in a statement, “it remains difficult to meet the requirements of Ukraine in a time when Russia attacks his attacks on Ukrainian troops and cities.”
Mr. Johnson allowed the house to vote for a new help package in April 2024 and the Pentagon resumed the weapon flow to Kiev. Ukrainian soldiers started to make terrain that they had lost during the speaker’s grip. Everything said that President Biden 74 sent arms packages during his office time.
But there is another holdup this year.
In February, shortly after the second time in his place, Mr. Trump outlined A transactional offer That the Lord Zensky should agree to receive more arms shipments: share your critical minerals with the United States, or otherwise.
On February 28, when the Ukrainian president arrived in the White House – a place where he was warmly welcomed by the previous administration – hoping to secure a lifeline of arms shipments, he was met A stream of verbal abuse By Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance. All On Live Television.
It is unclear whether the two leaders spoke earlier Meet face-to-face in Rome For the funeral of Pope Franciscus at the end of April. Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelensky were seen private in St. Peter’s Basilica for about 15 minutes, which led some Ukrainians Hope Things can change to their advantage.
But so far there are no indication that extra auxiliary packages for KYIV come from the United States. As a result, Ukraine Has had to trust More about European allies and building its own defense industry.
Eric Schmitt Reported report from Washington.
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