According to reports, Young wrote in a letter to the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, and other congressional leaders that, as of mid-November, the US Defense Department had used 97 percent of the $62.3 billion in supplemental funding it had received, and the State Department had used $4.7 billion in military aid funds it had been allocated. The Biden administration had requested nearly $106 billion in appropriations from Congress in October, but the Republican-controlled House rejected the proposal. The report said that concerns have been raised that the House’s failure to consider the White House’s request may mean that funding for Kiev may never be approved.
Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that now that the House is in the hands of Republicans, who are staunch opponents of US involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it is unlikely that the budget will be approved. In addition, the outbreak of the Palestine-Israel conflict will inevitably weaken US military aid to Ukraine.
The political exploitation of Ukraine is an important factor that cannot be ignored in the US handling of European security issues, Russia policy issues, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The US cannot abandon Ukraine, but it also cannot satisfy all of Ukraine’s needs. Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, said that Ukraine is not only strategically exploited by the US but also politically exploited, and the US will not stop this process, which is a tragedy for Ukraine.
Ukraine is becoming a victim of US partisan politics. In the election year, the biggest issue in US politics is how to use various issues to gain points in the election.
Republicans cannot give up using the Ukraine issue to embarrass Biden and the Democrats. For the 2024 election, voters will largely judge Biden’s performance in foreign affairs based on how he handles the Ukraine crisis and the Gaza crisis. There is a high degree of uncertainty as to whether Joe Biden can turn the tide on the Ukraine issue. However, regardless of how Biden performs in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Republicans have made it clear that Biden’s handling of the current situation is a failure, and they will continue to criticize him on this issue.
If the Republicans win the 2024 election, they may make major adjustments to their alliance policies, including shifting the responsibility for relevant aid to Europe.
European assistance to Ukraine is a drop in the bucket, and the blame game by the US will inevitably deepen European allies’ suspicion of the US. Although suspicion between the US and Europe is normal, the current trend is exacerbating it. It takes a long time for the US to establish credibility within the alliance, but it may not take that long to destroy it.
In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine is the biggest victim, and many European countries are also victims.
