U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of allied countries, the European Union and the NATO military alliance on Tuesday, reiterating America’s support for Ukraine and warning that a drop in support could embolden Russia and cause wider conflict.
The call included the leaders of Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Britain and France, as well as the heads of NATO, the European Commission and the European Council, who also discussed Ukraine’s economic recovery and food security issues, the White House said.
“President Biden made clear we cannot, under any circumstances, allow America’s support for Ukraine to be interrupted,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
The United States has enough committed funding to meet Ukraine’s battlefield needs “for a bit longer” but it needs Congressional help to offer this support uninterrupted, he said. Pressed on a timeline, Kirby said the United States has “a couple of months or so” of military supplies.
Kirby echoed Biden’s earlier criticism of a small group of House Republicans who have blocked Ukraine funding, noting that most Republicans stand behind the country.
“Such a lapse in support will make (Russian President Vladimir) Putin believe that he can now wait us out and that he can continue the conflict until we and our allies and partners fold,” Kirby said. It will also hand Putin a win, he said.
“If we just walk away from Ukraine, we basically confirm his lie. We basically say to him, ‘Yeah, you know what? You’re right, Putin, you were wronged, you were the victim here’.”
“It’s egregious and it absolutely plays right into his false narrative of how this war started.”
Biden tells allies Ukraine support will continue after Republicans block funding | Reuters