A geopolitical analyst pinpointed next November as a possible “turning point” for Ukraine.
Kyiv has grown increasingly independent when it comes to building its drones, which have become a key instrument in its military strategy against the Russian invaders.
But Ukraine still heavily relies on its Western allies when it comes to heavy military equipment such as tanks, jets and defence systems.
The UK, Germany, Poland and other European nations have been pledging billions over the past months of war in order to support Ukraine’s efforts against the full-scale illegal invasion ordered in February 2022 by Vladimir Putin.
However, the lion’s share of military aid has been provided over the past months by the US.
Now, Ukraine is facing losing the majority of the military support it has been receiving as a growing group of hard-line members of the Republican Party is becoming more and more opposed to spending money on foreign aid.
For weeks, the White House has been asking politicians in Congress to approve a package of additional assistance for the current fiscal year for Ukraine worth some £50bn.
But the request has so far been stalled by US lawmakers and fuelled an already existing crisis within the US House of Representatives, which culminated with the historic ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
While US President Joe Biden still fiercely backs support for Ukraine, Kyiv could face further difficulties in receiving help from across the pond next year.
Karan Vassil, associate analyst for the Eurasia sector at Sibylline, told Express.co.uk when speaking about possible issues regarding Western support to Ukraine: “A turning point will be, of course, the 2024 US elections.
“There’s an increasing fringe of the Republican Party that is reluctant to continue to provide the support to procure military aid for Ukraine.”
This is a long-term issue, the analyst stressed, and it is clearly becoming a source of “concern” for Kyiv. He added: “So yes, I would say a key date to have in mind will be the US elections.”
The re-election of the Republican Party’s frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, could bring to an end of the aid being sent to Ukraine.
Mr Trump has already pledged that, if he is elected, he will settle the war between Russia and Ukraine even before his inauguration.
This includes, he explained, shutting down the “endless flow of American treasure to Ukraine” and asking European allies to reimburse the US for the cost of rebuilding stockpiles.
He hasn’t yet explained whether he would ask Russian President Putin to have his troops leave the Ukrainian territory and restore the 2022 Ukrainian border, should he return to power.
Since the beginning of the war, Washington provided Kyiv with billions worth of military aid – including long-range ATACMS missiles that have been used in multiple areas of the frontline over the past weeks.
Albeit in smaller amounts, European allies have also been pledging key equipment – including Germany’s Leopard tanks and Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
