Volodymyr Zelensky takes a beating at Washington where, despite the unconditional support of Joe Biden and the announcement of a new weapons package a KievHouse Republicans are standing firm against indefinite support for theUkraine freezing the expectations of the Ukrainian leader and the requests of the commander-in-chief. “If we don’t receive aid we will lose the war”, was the heartfelt appeal of Zelensky to the approximately 70 senators met together with the leader of the Democratic majority, Chuck Schumerand that of the Republican minority, Mitch McConnell.
Disappointment and clashes in Congress
The Ukrainian president, in military fatigues but wearing a shirt, thanked “the senators and deputies for their support”, but avoided answering journalists’ questions. The equilibria at American Congress have changed compared to nine months ago and, especially in the Chamber, the front of aid skeptics is increasingly broader. To freeze the expectations of Zelensky and the requests of Biden the Republican speaker took care of it Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy he also avoided being photographed with the leader of Kiev and denied him a joint session of Congress on the grounds that there was no time.
Meetings and debates
After Capitol HillZelensky moved to Pentagon where he had a conversation with the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. The Ukrainian president’s intense day in the American capital ended at White House with the meeting with Biden, the sixth in person between the two. Nello Oval Office the commander in chief has announced his intention to send the new weapons package, naturally subject to the green light of Congresswhich today seemed very distant.
The Armaments Dilemma
While reiterating support for Kiev “for as long as necessary”, Biden gave another disappointment to Zelensky by not including the coveted weapons in the list of new weapons Atacms, those long-range missiles that would be used by the Ukrainian army to defend itself against Russian attacks. In the announced package there are indeed “significant air defense systems” but, for the umpteenth time, not them Army Tactical Missile Systems. Officially the Pentagon claims that the US does not have enough to share with its allies and, furthermore, that it would not make a difference to the Ukrainians at this time in the war.