MFA to allies: 'We do not ask anyone to fight for us', but need 'timely assistance'
Photo: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine is not asking anyone from its allies to fight. However, it requires timely and adequate assistance, writes the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba.
"To those who doubt Ukraine’s ability to defeat Russian aggression," Kuleba reminded:
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At the height of the Cold War, the so-called "West" consisted of only 19–20 countries. Nonetheless, it ultimately outcompeted the Soviet Union and its Socialist Bloc, both of which comprised 20 currently sovereign states;
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Today, only the countries providing military aid to Ukraine through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, "Ramstein," number more than 50, whereas Russia is far weaker than the USSR, with only three outcast allies providing it with weapons: Belarus, the DPRK, and Iran;
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The combined GDP of the current Western coalition providing military aid to Ukraine is 21 times greater than the combined GDP of Russia and its allies.
"According to the Estonian Ministry of Defense, if NATO countries invested merely 0.25% of their GDP in military aid to Ukraine, it would generate €120 billion in defense support each year. A sum large enough to assure Ukraine’s victory and just peace," noted Kuleba.
The minister emphasized that no one wants a new cold war. At the same time, to think that Russia will not dare to attack a NATO country is also naive. Therefore, Ukraine's victory and the restoration of a just peace are existential strategic goals for the Euro-Atlantic community.
"We do not ask anyone to fight for us. All we need is assistance that is timely and appropriate for the challenge we are facing. Figures show that it is not a matter of resources but of the West believing in itself and defining a clear goal of victory over the enemy that threatens us all," added the minister.
Assistance to Ukraine from the USA and the EU
European Union
Last year, the European Union proposed allocating 50 billion euros to Ukraine by 2027. Unanimous consent from all member countries is needed to approve such a decision; however, Hungary vetoed it during the latest session. As previously mentioned by Kuleba, the EU will eventually approve the funding, with or without Budapest's agreement.
United States of America
The Congress failed to approve President Joe Biden's request to allocate over 100 billion dollars for national security needs by the end of 2023, including over 60 billion dollars for Ukraine. The main stumbling block was the Republicans, who refused to support the initiative. They demand that the White House incorporate their proposals to enhance border security into its request.
As of today, January 4, John Kirby, the coordinator of the White House National Security Council, stated that the USA currently lacks the funds to provide Ukraine with new packages of military assistance.
