(Dan Tri) – US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that Ukraine is completely dependent on US aid to maintain the operations of both the military and civil society.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen
“If Russia wins the fierce war in Ukraine, we could next see an attack on our NATO ally,” US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told CNBC on November 20. .
Ms. Yellen declared that military aid to Ukraine is an “important priority” for US national security.
“We cannot let Ukraine lose right on its territory… So Ukraine is completely dependent on this aid,” Ms. Yellen added.
The US Treasury Secretary mentioned the 50 billion euro ($55 billion) aid package recently announced by the European Union (EU) and will be transferred to Ukraine over the next 4 years, as well as the 15-year fund. 6 billion USD provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as evidence of how Washington should contribute to Kiev.
President Joe Biden on November 16 signed the temporary spending bill after it was passed by the Senate the day before. The allocated budget is somewhat limited, can only help the US prevent a government shutdown until early 2024 and there will be no aid package for Ukraine.
The issue of aid to Ukraine is one of the main causes of disagreement in US politics in recent times. The conflict even caused House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to be dismissed in September.
Some Republicans proposed reconsidering aid to Ukraine. They believe that this aid lacks transparency and that the US government should focus on other priorities that are more important to the country than supporting Kiev at this time.
Meanwhile, senior US officials warned that without Washington’s help, Kiev may fail in its conflict with Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed concern that the Israel-Hamas conflict that broke out last month will attract Western attention, while redirecting aid money previously granted by Washington to Kiev to Israel. . Although the US Treasury Secretary affirmed that Washington has enough money to finance and supply both conflicts, the Pentagon admitted that aid money for Ukraine is running out.
However, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sought to reassure President Zelensky and his cabinet of US support during a surprise visit to Ukraine on November 20. Mr. Austin vowed to “continue to support Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs and long-term defense requirements.”
Secretary Austin announced that Washington would allocate an additional military aid package worth $100 million to Kiev.
According to Reuters, this aid package will include anti-tank weapons and missiles for air defense systems.
