U.S. aid to Ukraine will decrease regardless of who wins the presidential election - Bloomberg
Kyiv • UNN
According to Bloomberg, U.S. support for Ukraine may decline regardless of the outcome of the presidential election. Western officials note difficulties in getting financial aid through Congress.
Even if Kamala Harris wins the presidential election in the United States, the aid from this ally to Ukraine may decrease, according to an article by Bloomberg, UNN reports.
"If Trump, who has said he would like to 'resolve' the conflict before taking office, is elected and follows through on his threats to cut off support, Ukraine's options will be sharply narrowed. But even if Kamala Harris wins, the U.S. is likely to have a hard time getting significant financial support through Congress, said Western officials, who declined to be identified because they were discussing sensitive issues," the article says.
The authors of the article note that Kyiv has already felt what a withdrawal of support might look like. Internal struggles in the United States have delayed the approval of a multibillion-dollar aid package by six months, dealing a blow to Ukraine, which is short on ammunition and manpower. "Moscow is continuing its attacks on the country's energy and critical infrastructure, which Kyiv fears will lead to massive power outages and heating disruptions with the onset of the cold season.
In addition to air superiority, Russia maintains a significant munitions advantage over Ukraine. According to one Western official, the Russian army outnumbers Kyiv's by three to one, and is likely to add 30,000 new troops every month. Moscow has also bolstered its forces with thousands of North Korean troops," the article says.
The authors emphasize that US officials are concerned, but less pessimistic than other allies, about the situation on the battlefield. Earlier in October, senior U.S. officials said they expected Ukraine to be able to hold territory in Russia's Kursk region for at least several months, noting that Kyiv was seeing steadier supplies of ammunition.
This may be enough for Ukraine to hold the line, but it may not be enough to win, journalists say.
Kyiv is looking for stronger air defense and support from neighboring countries to destroy Russian missiles and drones approaching their airspace, as well as the ability to degrade Russia's offensive capabilities in the occupied territories.
Ukraine needs more equipment for its brigades; Germany and France aim to provide equipment for at least two, Zelenskiy said. Kyiv is also seeking help in developing its own long-range strike capabilities, for which the US has already pledged $1.6 billion.
Ukraine will also seek to continue its advance in the Kursk region in order to influence public opinion in Russia, sources familiar with the matter said.
"Russia will retain the initiative, regardless of losses, and will use its possible local successes on the battlefield to put pressure on Ukraine domestically and pressure our partners," said Mykola Bieleskov, a researcher at the Kyiv-based National Institute for Security Studies.
"The model where the West provides ammunition and Ukraine provides manpower may no longer work. Although the United States has always said that there will be no American troops on the ground, we are approaching a time when our partners may need them, as Ukrainian resources are not unlimited," the analyst said.
