Ukraine can ‘prevail’ with U.S. support, NATO deputy says

Ukraine will be positioned to “prevail” in its war against Russia and “affirm themselves as an independent, sovereign country,” thanks to the $60 billion in new aid the U.S. House passed Saturday, according to a top NATO official.

“We are very happy to see the support coming in,” NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana told Semafor in an interview Sunday in Washington.

He said it was up to Ukraine to define what “prevailing” in the war means, echoing statements by other leaders. Geoana also acknowledged that Kyiv faces significant military challenges: It has dealt with an increase in Russian drone attacks against energy infrastructure and other targets while running short on ammunition and air defense. Ukraine was forced to retreat from the city of Avdiivka earlier this year and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said Ukraine was being outgunned by Russia 10 to 1 on artillery.

“It’s a difficult time — we are not shying away from that observation — but we know that they continue to be formidable,” Geoana said. With new U.S. support and plans by NATO allies to send more air defense systems, he added, “I think they’ll be in a situation to do it better and faster.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va. indicated on CBS News that the U.S. will likely soon send longer-range missiles known as ATACMS to Ukraine once the Senate approves the aid package. The House-passed bill calls on President Biden to send ATACMS to Ukraine “as soon as practicable,” but allows him to avoid doing so if he determines it “would be detrimental to the national security interests” of the U.S.

A Pentagon spokesman told Semafor that the U.S. “is poised to respond with a package quickly after Congress passes the supplemental” but that “it is premature to speculate on the contents of any package at this time.”

The Ukrainians and other European allies are breathing a sigh of relief following the U.S. House vote approving $60 billion in Ukraine aid on Saturday, six months after the White House requested the support for Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.

House Speaker Mike Johnson pressed past a threat from conservative members to oust him over the foreign aid vote, relying on Democratic votes to carry the Ukraine package over the finish line. Ultimately, 112 House Republicans voted against providing more aid to Ukraine, slightly more than the number that voted in favor of it; all Democrats voted in favor.

“We would rather send bullets to the conflict overseas than our own boys, our troops,” Johnson said on Saturday following the vote.

Geoana said he did not think that the prolonged impasse over the funding was a sign that the U.S. had become a less reliable ally.

“There always have been currents of isolationists, currents of internationalists, that’s America and we are respectful of this thing,” he said. “But I believe that NATO and America’s connections to Europe are strong and I can anticipate many long, long decades of a very vibrant NATO and a very very strong transatlantic alliance.”

He also expressed doubts about a forthcoming Russian offensive and said Ukraine would be prepared to repel any effort should one materialize.

“We have seen in the recent period a certain technical, logistical advantage for Russia but nothing in decisive dosage to really provoke a massive change of the situation on the battlefield,” he said.

Zelenskyy said Sunday on NBC News that Ukraine “will have a chance for victory” if it gets “the weapon systems which we need so much.” He mentioned long-range artillery and air defense, and specifically praised the aid package for including language on ATACMS.

“This aid will strengthen Ukraine and send the Kremlin a powerful signal that it will be the second Afghanistan, the United States will stay with Ukraine, will protect the Ukrainians and they will protect democracy in the world,” Zelenskyy said.

The New York Times unpacked how Johnson came to support Ukraine aid through classified briefings, reflections on his son’s plans to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, and prayer.

Can Ukraine beat Russia with the renewed U.S. support and help from Europe? Maybe, the Brookings Institution’s Michael O’Hanlon writes for the Washington Post.