Republicans urge Trump to resume military and intelligence aid to Ukraine
Pravda Ukraine
Republican lawmakers are calling on US President Donald Trump to reverse his decision to suspend military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine.
Source: The Hill, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Republicans warn that a prolonged halt in US military assistance could have serious consequences.
They acknowledge Trump’s right to temporarily pause arms deliveries to assess the war’s progress, pressure NATO allies and create an opportunity for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
However, the politicians warn that an extended suspension of weapons and ammunition supplies could weaken Ukraine’s military capabilities and undermine its negotiating position with Russia.
They also stress the urgent need to restore intelligence sharing, arguing that depriving Ukraine of battlefield intelligence does not benefit the US.
“It’s a concern for the Ukrainian people. I worry more about how people on the battlefield feel about it,” Senator Thom Tillis said, commenting on the pause in US military aid.
He warned that the suspension, announced on Monday, “could be helpful to Putin”.
Tillis noted that Ukraine currently has enough weapons and ammunition to hold the front line but expressed hope that the pause would be short-lived.
He said he’s “ok” with a pause as long as it’s a short-term “negotiation tactic”.
“I’m hoping and praying that it’s short-lived. I think it will be,” Tllis added.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins opposed halting military aid.
“I do not think we should be pausing our efforts. It’s the Ukrainians who are shedding blood,” she said, calling this a “critical time for Ukraine”.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune emphasised that the pause in military aid would be temporary.
Quote from Thune: “It’s a pause, importantly, not a stop. I think it’s part of a negotiation. And I’m hopeful that in the end that we’ll get folks to the table and be able to negotiate a deal that will bring a peaceful resolution to this three years-long conflict, and one hopefully that will respect the sovereignty of the Ukrainian people.”
Details: Senator Lindsey Graham voiced concern over Trump’s decision to halt intelligence sharing with Ukraine. “I’m very worried about that long-term,” he said.
Senator John Cornyn, a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said “the intelligence that we provided the Ukrainians has been essential for them to be able to stay in the fight”.
“I hope the pause would be lifted at some point,” he said.
Senator Mike Rounds, a member of the Armed Services Committee, also opposed suspending intelligence sharing and expressed hope that the pause in military aid would be only temporary.
Background:
- On 4 March, Bloomberg learned that Trump had ordered the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine. The decision also applies to weapons that had left US territory and were en route to the Ukrainian border.
- On 5 March, several reputable international media outlets, citing sources, reported that the US had ceased intelligence sharing with Ukraine, including data on military targets and early warnings about Russian missile and drone launches targeting Ukrainian territory.
- The Wall Street Journal previously stated that the suspension of US military aid to Ukraine could remain in effect until Donald Trump deems that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy supports peace talks with Russia.
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