It was spent in the United States, in favor of the Americans: Blinken on 90% of security assistance provided to Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that 90% of U.S. aid to Ukraine benefits American businesses and strengthens the U.S. defense industry. Congress postponed a vote on further aid until next year.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said during the final press conference of the year that most of the U.S. security assistance to Ukraine is spent in the United States, UNN reports with reference to Voice of America.
"90% of the security assistance we have provided to Ukraine has been spent here in the United States to benefit American businesses, local communities, and strengthen our country's defense industrial base," said Anthony Blinken.
He also explained who, in his opinion, would benefit if Congress did vote to fund assistance to Ukraine and other strategic partners of the United States. As Voice of America reported, lawmakers postponed the vote until next year.
If Congress does approve additional aid to Ukraine, Blinken says, "our fellow citizens, our businesses, our workers, our allies and partners, and people around the world who look to the United States to lead."
If the vote on aid "fails," Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing will win, Blinken said.
The secretary of state cited Russian President Vladimir Putin's "boast" that the West "has no future" and added that Putin hopes to justify his strategy of "waiting out the West" by sending "wave after wave of young Russians into a meat grinder of their own making."
Earlier, as reported by Voice of America, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that "Putin will not be able to last longer than the United States" or the West as a whole.
"I agree with Putin on only one point - American support is indeed crucial to ensure that the brave soldiers and citizens of Ukraine can continue to fight to ensure that Russia's war remains a strategic failure," Blinken said.
The top US diplomat also assured that the United States is ready to continue to help Ukraine "stand firmly on its own feet militarily, economically and democratically."
Blinken warned politicians in the United States: "Putin is betting that our differences will prevent us from helping Ukraine. But we have proven him wrong before. And we will prove him wrong again."
