State Department: "We have not yet reached the level where Ukraine can defend itself"

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller spoke at a briefing about the amount of upcoming support for Ukraine.

The United States will not provide military assistance to Ukraine at the level of 2022-2023, because they strive to help the country build its own military-industrial base, quotes “European Truth” Miller’s statement:

“We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary. This does not mean that we will continue to support it at the same level of military funding as in 2022 and 2023.”

According to a State Department spokesman, the United States does not believe that there is a need to continue support at the same level. Washington’s goal is to help Kyiv stand on its own two feet and build its own military-industrial base so that it can independently finance, produce and purchase weapons. He emphasized:

“But we are not there yet, and that is why it is so important that Congress passes a bill for additional funding, because we have not yet reached the point where Ukraine can defend itself on its own.”

Earlier, the White House said that they no longer have money for new military support for Ukraine before its adoption by the US Congress. Joe Biden, commenting on the massive Russian shelling of Ukraine on the night of Friday, December 29, noted the need for Congress to approve additional assistance for Kyiv as quickly as possible. On December 27, the United States announced it would provide Ukraine with its final military aid package in 2023, worth $250 million.

Joe Biden asked Congress in October to approve additional funding, including more than $60 billion for Ukraine. But the decision stalled in the Senate due to bipartisan differences over border security with Mexico.

The White House called strengthening Ukraine’s air defense a priority in future military assistance packages that the United States is ready to provide to Kyiv. White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby spoke about this at a briefing.

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