Over a hundred senior European lawmakers will send a joint letter to their American counterparts on 12 December, urging the US Congress to provide further military aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports.
This move reflects growing concerns in Europe about the sustainability of US support for Ukraine, especially as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to visit Washington. The letter, reviewed by Reuters, has signatories from at least 17 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Ireland.
“We hear the concerns expressed by our American friends. For years, American leaders, Democrats, and Republicans have asked Europeans to take more responsibility for their own security. We agree with this legitimate request,” stated the lawmakers, led by French MP Benjamin Haddad.
“If the world gets tired, they will simply let us die,” Zelenska says
The letter highlights the contributions of European nations, comparable to the US, in supporting Ukraine since Russia’s invasion and emphasizes the urgency of continued American military aid.
The request for additional aid comes amidst a stalemate in the US, where House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans demand stronger US border measures before dispatching further funds to Ukraine. President Biden has called for urgent action by Congress, with Democrats pushing for approximately $50 billion in new security assistance for Ukraine.
“A Putin victory would embolden our enemies around the world: they are watching and hoping we grow tired. Ukrainians are fighting so we don’t have to,” the European representatives added, underscoring the global implications of the conflict.
Meanwhile, EU leaders are set to convene in Brussels to discuss proposals for economic and military support for Kyiv alongside the initiation of EU accession talks. However, this plan faces opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a known ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has threatened to veto both the aid and enlargement discussions.
On 11 December, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba met with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto for the first time since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the US, where he held a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Charles Brown at the National Defense University.
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