Ukrainian authorities consider the latest US military aid package as ‘modest’. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is concerned about the future of the budget and asks allies for a meeting.
The latest US aid package worth $250 million includes ammunition and equipment for air defense systems, MLRS missiles, 155mm and 105mm artillery shells, anti-tank weapons and more than 15 million small arms ammunition.
At the same time, Washington warned that it could no longer provide further military assistance to Kiev unless Congress approved additional funds.
The US delivered the last military aid package this year
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his American counterpart Joe Biden for the weapons and emphasized that they would only cover the country’s most urgent needs.
Yegor Chernev, deputy head of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence of the Verkhovna Rada, stated that the aid package cannot change the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine’s favor and it is not even enough to effectively resist.
According to Chernev, the “modest aid package” is proof that “there are problems with US support for Ukraine.” The MP expressed hope that these issues would be resolved quickly.
Previously, the US Congress postponed the decision on the allocation of $ 61.4 billion to Ukraine until the end of the New Year holidays, which will last until January 8. In turn, the European Union, due to Hungary’s veto, was unable to agree on a four-year financial plan for Kiev worth 50 billion euros.
Ukraine on the verge of bankruptcy? The Prime Minister calls for support
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal asked for an urgent meeting with Kiev’s international donors due to the “extremely high uncertainty” over the budget. The head of Ukraine’s Finance Ministry, Sergei Marchenko, stated that delaying aid could leave a $29 billion hole in state coffers.
Earlier, Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko warned that the government would be unable to pay the salaries and pensions of almost 12 million Ukrainians if Western countries did not provide financial support to Kiev by early 2024.
This year alone, Ukrainian authorities have spent nearly $48 billion on defense.
Source: Do Rzeczy
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
