Austin pushes Congress for new $50bn Kiev aid, promises ROI to economy
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US President Biden plans to declare 'undoubted' support to Kiev in a virtual meeting with G7 leaders
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Ukrainian troops load a truck with US-made Javelins anti-tank missiles at Kiev's Boryspil airport on February 11, 2022 (AFP)
US President Joe Biden is set to underscore the United States' unwavering commitment to supporting Kiev during his virtual gathering with G7 leaders scheduled for Wednesday.
According to statements made by National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, President Biden will reaffirm this stance, particularly as Ukraine braces for the challenging winter season.
"President Biden will convene a virtual meeting today with fellow G7 leaders, where he will undoubtedly emphasize our dedication to providing Ukraine with vital support, especially as they navigate the perilous winter months."
In related news, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has reiterated his plea to Congress to swiftly approve the national security supplemental request put forth by the Biden administration.
Austin has pointed out that a substantial portion of the allocated funds is intended to circulate back into the United States' industrial sector in the form of investments.
He expressed optimism, saying, "I am hopeful that Congress will expeditiously approve the President's crucial national security supplemental request, which encompasses an additional $50 billion to bolster the US industrial base. A significant proportion of these funds will return to our nation through investments aimed at creating American jobs."
Austin delivered these remarks at the US-Ukraine Defense Industrial Base Conference.
Read more: Ukraine may lose war if US funding falls through: Yermak
Pick a war
Despite months of media headlines talking about Ukraine's successful war efforts, especially in the spring offensive, recently emerging reports suggest otherwise.
The slowly forming consensus, both at the level of government and the public, has led to more pressure on Biden's administration.
Washington has been under heavy criticism for the past few months over its ongoing support of Ukraine amid internal financial peaking challenges, domestic priorities including border security budgets - which Republicans are calling for an increase of in contrast to Democrats - and an unclear exit plan for the war.
This situation became more apparent after the Israeli war on Gaza started, which prompted the US to rapidly open up its weapons warehouses to assist the occupation entity and start issuing cheques to support its struggling economy.
Bad news
In the context, Congress saw growing divisions over continuing to provide aid to Kiev - or at least at the same pace - all while attending to the new hotspot in the Middle East.
This atmosphere is also shared by many European countries, which have lately expressed the desire to see this war end, even if it meant peace talks with Russia.
Read more: Seymour Hersh: Russia, Ukraine peace underway, 4 new region additions
Just last week, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg issued a cautionary statement, emphasizing the importance of the Western military alliance's preparedness for potential negative developments on the Ukrainian front.
"Wars develop in phases," Stoltenberg said in an interview last Saturday with German broadcaster ARD. "We have to support Ukraine in both good and bad times," he said.
"We should also be prepared for bad news,” Stoltenberg added, without being more specific.
