(CLO) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy affirmed on February 5 that US aid remains "indispensable" for Ukraine, in the context of the suspension of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
USAID, the agency responsible for distributing U.S. international development assistance, has seen staff cuts and spending freezes in the past two weeks. USAID disbursed $72 billion in fiscal year 2023, of which more than $16 billion went to Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: X / ZelenskyyUa
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that US aid to Ukraine “continues and does not decrease”. “We are grateful for that,” Mr. Zelenskyy shared on the social network X.
However, he said that Ukraine was not currently discussing a new military aid package from the Trump administration, but affirmed: "We have started talking with the US team."
Mr. Zelenskyy also recalled the vital role of the US for Ukraine in the early stages of the war: "The first days of the war were really difficult without the US. I dare not imagine what Ukraine would have been like if it had to face Russia without support from the US."
He stressed that any plans involving the deployment of allied troops in Ukraine “cannot be implemented without the United States.”
"Any security guarantee must involve the United States - the most important country - along with Europe, including the EU and the UK. This is essential. Whether it is deployed forces, weapons, naval presence, personnel or air defense systems - all must be a joint effort between the United States and Europe," he said.
If USAID were to cease operations entirely, Ukraine could lose one of its most important sources of aid, threatening its ability to maintain military strength against Russia.
Cao Phong (according to Newsweek, CNBC, The Guardian)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ong-zelenskyy-thua-nhan-ukraine-kho-tru-vung-neu-khong-co-vien-tro-cua-my-post333231.html
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