The House of Representatives on Friday passed a $1.2 trillion 2024 defense spending bill that includes some desperately needed aid to Ukraine, but deep cuts in prices and long wait times mean that allies like Lithuania is increasingly “concerned” about whether the United States can still be counted on. As a reliable partner.
In the former Soviet state of Ukraine, where Russia’s war against Ukraine has been going on for more than two years, the United States’ desire to continue to support Kiev has waned somewhat, but it has become increasingly popular with European allies, especially countries that share a complicated history with Moscow. remains as determined as ever.
“We are definitely concerned because Ukraine’s ability to maintain its front line depends largely on how much ammunition and equipment it can get,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told Fox News Digital. Told. “It’s not just about now. It’s not just about the current situation on the front lines. It’s also about the future.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a concert commemorating his presidential election victory and the 10th anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea on March 18, 2024, on Red Square in Moscow. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlyanichenko)
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“if [Russian President Vladimir] President Putin is allowed to move forward, but where will he stop?” He continued, “We are witnessing a huge, aggressive, bloodthirsty empire that is now emboldened and, by extension, the world’s He feels he is encouraging other dictators.
“They know this is their chance, this is their chance, this is their chance. This is a really scary time to witness.”
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis attends the Conference on Maintaining Peace and Security in Ukraine at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, February 23, 2024. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The issue of continued defense aid to Ukraine is beginning to reveal critical rifts within the Republican Party, where there is both strong support for Ukraine and passionate opposition to Washington’s continued support for Kiev.
Party opposition has stalled a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine that was passed by the Senate 70-29 in February, but Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has not yet submitted it to the House. do not have.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson February 14, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Supporters of the aid package, including Republicans and Democrats, argue that it is in the United States’ best interest to stop Putin in Ukraine, and many believe that Putin’s ambitions are likely to spread to other former Soviet states. I am still concerned that this may extend to
“We need to get serious about this,” Landsbergis said, noting that President Putin has criticized the collapse of the Soviet Union as Russia’s biggest failure. “You can tell when he’s saying something, when he’s thinking, and when he’s thinking, he’s probably planning.
“I don’t think he will stop unless he is stopped in Ukraine.”
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis (Thierry Monas/Getty Images)
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President Putin has repeatedly threatened countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. Asked if he was concerned about Lithuania, which first declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 and shares a border with Kaliningrad Oblast, given its complicated history with Russia, the foreign minister said Lithuania has endured. pointed out oppression.
“We usually call ourselves not former Soviets, never Soviets, because we were conquered and forced,” Landsbergis said. “I think in his head he’s recreating an empire. The only question is which empire. Some might say the Soviet Union, but I think he’s recreating an empire from the 19th century. I think it even recreates the Russian Empire.”
Despite the concerns, Lithuania’s foreign minister said there was “still time to turn things around.”
Ukrainian soldiers pose during the Russo-Ukrainian war on the front lines in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, March 29, 2023. (Muhammad Enes Yildirim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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Several NATO countries, including France, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, have in recent weeks begun considering sending their troops to Ukraine in an advisory or training role rather than as a combat force.
This push would be done on an independent basis rather than through the alliance, as NATO does not have widespread support from countries like the United States and Germany.
“We have to be creative. Our goals remain the same, so we have to think outside the box,” the foreign minister said, adding that tough sanctions have not stopped Russia and that President Putin is not willing to rely on Western aid. He pointed out that he is not deterred by this.
“We’ve had to start thinking without thinking, and we’ve been doing that instead of eliminating options. In the past, we usually eliminated options. [options]. “You can’t do this, you can’t do that, this is not an option,” he explained. “This is a big change.
A Ukrainian flag flies over a heavily damaged residential area in the village of Drina in Donetsk, Ukraine, after the Russian military withdrew on September 24. (Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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“The situation is difficult. I think we are at a crossroads. This could be a pivotal year. We will be remembered for whether we manage to push back or whether we fail,” he said. he said.
Landsbergis said it’s no longer enough to have hope.
“We need to do more. We need to push.”
Lithuania’s foreign minister is scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday to discuss continued support for Ukraine and how the United States intends to continue working with its Baltic partners in the face of Russian aggression.
