Military aid to Ukraine: US already spent more than $43 billion in security assistance
Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 When it comes to military funding,
00:02 Volodymyr Zelensky has no greater friend than Joe Biden.
00:06 Since the war began, the U.S. has committed more than $113 billion in assistance to Ukraine,
00:12 and in October will begin training Ukrainian pilots on American-made F-16 fighter jets.
00:17 The Democratic president recently asked Congress to approve an additional $21 billion
00:23 in emergency defense and humanitarian aid through the end of the year.
00:27 But it's a move that may not have the public's overwhelming support, according to a recent survey.
00:33 A CNN poll found that 55 percent of Americans think Congress should not
00:38 authorize additional funding, with 45 percent saying it should.
00:42 The results reflecting a divide down party lines,
00:45 with 62 percent of Democrats favoring additional funding and 71 percent of Republicans against.
00:53 A belief shared by some of the GOP candidates in next year's presidential race.
00:58 And I think that this is disastrous that we are protecting against an invasion across
01:03 somebody else's border when we should use those same military resources to prevent
01:07 across the invasion of our own southern border here in the United States.
01:11 But other Republicans, such as Mike Pence and Nikki Haley, have defended ongoing support of Ukraine.
01:16 And Chris Christie recently visited the front lines and met with President Zelensky.
01:21 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has repeatedly dodged the question.
01:25 And the frontrunner in the Republican race, Donald Trump, a longtime admirer of Vladimir Putin,
01:31 has been critical of the tens of billions of dollars the U.S. has sent to Ukraine.
01:35 On the battlefield, Keefe's counteroffensive, which began in June,
01:40 has been making slow progress.
01:42 Impatience and rising costs to fund the war are causing divisions in Brussels as well,
01:48 while EU members, such as France, have expressed the need for Europe to stand together in support of Keefe.
01:53 The fate of Ukraine is also our collective moment of truth for Europe.
01:59 We're helping Ukraine because the fate of this country, the outcome of this war,
02:04 depends upon our security, our prosperity, our democratic way of life.
02:09 Meanwhile, the White House says the U.S. will support Keefe for as long as it takes.
02:15 But European allies are worried that is a promise that will only hold
02:19 if Democrats keep the White House in 2024.