Ukraine Awaits U.S. House Light as Shocking Warning Precedes Vote
A stark American warning to legislators on the eve of a crucial session: “If you don’t agree to help Ukraine now, the war could be lost by the end of the year.”
This is how CIA Director William Burns linked providing aid to Ukraine to its fate in the ongoing war since February 2022.
Speaking at an event held at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, Burns urged lawmakers to pass additional legislation allocating billions for Ukraine’s war efforts.
He said, “With the upcoming tranche of military assistance, both practically and psychologically, Ukrainians are fully capable of holding out until 2024 and undermining Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s view that time is on his side.”
Adding, “But if that doesn’t pass through Congress, the picture is much more dangerous… There’s a very real risk of Ukrainians losing on the battlefield by the end of 2024, or at least putting Putin in a position where he can essentially dictate terms of a political settlement.”
Burns’ warning comes on the eve of a House vote on separate bills related to allocating military aid packages for Israel and Ukraine.
Strongest Warning Yet
According to Politico, Burns’ remarks mark the strongest warning yet from a senior official in the U.S. administration regarding the Ukrainian war.
This comes at a time when officials in Kyiv warn that the looming Russian assault in the summer, which will see massive waves of troops invading Ukraine, could overwhelm struggling Ukrainian soldiers.
Burns’ statements come a day after U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a long-awaited foreign aid package, which has become contentious.
In a statement Wednesday, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Charles Brown told lawmakers that “the gains Ukraine has made at great cost can slip away without our support.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also warned that if additional aid is delayed, allies and partners “will question whether we are a reliable partner or not.”
For months, the U.S. administration has cited lawmakers’ inability to pass aid to Ukraine as the primary reason for Kyiv’s struggle on the battlefield.
