Ukraine is a test of US readiness to defend the rule of international law in a world threatened by expansionist authoritarian forces. It's a test in Washington now at risk of failure as the aid package needed to keep Ukraine alive in the third year of its struggle against Russian tyranny is blocked by Republicans loyal to Donald Trump, The Times reports.
If $60 billion in aid is not delivered soon to Ukraine, it “could lose the war,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Without more advanced US weapons to enable Ukraine to repel the enemy, the initiative will pass, possibly definitively, to Putin and his generals. Lawless aggression will prevail. This catastrophic and once unthinkable outcome would mark the end of America's role as global policeman and would seriously weaken its standing among allies around the world.
Trump has shown no signs of abandoning his position on Ukraine. This suggests that if he becomes president again, he will agree to the permanent annexation of Ukrainian territories occupied by Russian troops. It could be his bluff, but it could also be true. Joe Biden's administration is also to blame for Kiev's current situation, which is delaying the delivery of important weapons.
Against this background, Russia continues to attack Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Last night, Russia launched more than 40 missiles and 40 drones against Ukraine, targeting its "vital infrastructure," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as quoted by France Press. "Some of the missiles and drones "Shaheed" were successfully downloaded. Unfortunately, only some," added the Ukrainian head of state. "Russian terrorists have once again targeted important infrastructure," he stressed. Zelensky again called on Ukraine's Western partners not to "close their eyes" about the situation and to provide more air defense systems to Ukraine, which is already in its third year of war.