At Ramstein Pentagon chief looks to convince allies of commitment to Ukraine amid funding problems - Reuters
Kyiv • UNN
Despite funding problems, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will reaffirm Washington's commitment to Ukraine at a meeting with European allies in Ramstein.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will try to convince European allies at a meeting in the Ramstein format on Tuesday that President Joe Biden's administration remains committed to supporting Ukraine, Reuters reports, UNN writes.
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Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to announce a vote on a bill that would provide Ukraine with another $60 billion, and the White House is scrambling to find ways to send aid to Ukraine, the newspaper said.
Austin will chair the monthly meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, which brings together about 50 allies providing military support to Ukraine.
The Pentagon said that Austin, who is making his first trip abroad after treatment for prostate cancer, will reaffirm Washington's commitment to Ukraine.
"But officials say that the lack of available funding is already affecting the situation in Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces are having to manage limited resources," the newspaper writes.
"I think our allies are very aware of our funding situation, and the Ukrainians more than anyone, because of the deficit that results from not being able to supply them," said a senior U.S. defense official.
Last week, the Biden administration announced that it would send $300 million in military aid to Ukraine, but added that this was an extraordinary move after unexpected savings on military contracts awarded by the Pentagon.
Officials do not rule out that they will be able to find additional savings, but say that this amount will not be enough to compensate for the lack of congressional action.
Experts say Austin will face a skeptical audience in Europe.
"It's getting harder and harder for U.S. leaders to travel to Europe and make it clear that the United States is committed to Ukraine in the long run," said Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's European Center in Washington, DC.
"The message of these long-term financial, military, and economic commitments is at odds with the reality of what's happening on Capitol Hill," Rizzo added.
At a joint press conference in Berlin on Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reaffirmed their support for Ukraine.
But U.S. officials have been quoted as saying that the reality is that without the United States, European support for Ukraine is not enough.
"There is no way that our allies can truly join forces to compensate for the lack of U.S. support," said a senior U.S. defense official.
