Ukraine FM: Give us weapons, no need to use your own troops

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
21 Jan 2024 14:03

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba says Western countries should support them with money and weapons instead of using their own soldiers.

Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron, left, and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba take part in a panel discussion at the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday, January 17, 2024. (AP)

The cost of supporting Ukraine's troops as a force instead of Western troops is "minuscule compared to the overall US military budget," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba said in an interview with Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Kuleba has argued that this security investment serves the interests of the US military-industrial complex.

In contrast to some other countries considered "allies" of the US, Kuleba pointed out that Kiev is not requesting the deployment of troops on Ukrainian soil, effectively describing Ukraine's army as a proxy force.

"We kind of offer the best deal on the global market of security... Give us the weapons, give us the money, and we will finish the job," emphasized the FM before adding, "So you save the most important, you save the lives of your soldiers."

Elsewhere in his statement, the Ukrainian diplomat maintained that Ukraine "does not steal any money from American taxpayers," given that "the sum of money allocated to Ukraine is, to say the least, a very little part" of the US military budget.

Continuing his point, he elaborated that "a significant portion of these funds remains within the United States, as they are directed towards the production of weaponry destined for Ukraine." He further stressed the importance of conveying to American taxpayers that "their local communities derive advantages from this arrangement."

White House rings alarm bells, Ukrainian munitions getting exhausted

Earlier, White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby reported that Ukraine is depleting its weapon stockpiles, noting that some munitions will last for the next few months, and other types will be exhausted earlier.

"I mean, there are some, there are some munitions that they have ample stores of, enough to get them into, you know, the next couple to three months. There are others where they don't have that kind of time," said Kirby during a White House press briefing.

Before that, the White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby announced that all military aid to Ukraine has been suspended.

“We have issued the last drawdown package that we had funding to support, and that’s why it’s critical that Congress move on that national security supplemental request,” Kirby said, noting that US military support for Ukraine has "ground to a halt."