Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House "Is There a Winning Strategy?"
The Economist Suggests Revising War Strategy
"Shift from 'Victory then Reconstruction' to 'Prosperity in Protracted War'"
As fatigue over long-term support for Ukraine grows within the United States, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directly visited the U.S. Congress to appeal for assistance.
On the 21st (local time), President Zelensky returned to Washington DC after nine months to meet with the Democratic and Republican leadership of both the House and Senate.
President Zelensky first visited the House of Representatives, which holds the key to approving the $24 billion additional aid package for Ukraine requested by U.S. President Joe Biden. However, it was not House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, who greeted Zelensky in front of the cameras, but rather Democratic House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. This was a stark contrast to the enthusiastic hero’s welcome Zelensky received from Congress during his visit in December last year.
During the meeting, President Zelensky emphasized that the most urgently needed weapon is the ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) surface-to-surface missile, which has a range of 300 km and can strike major Russian targets deep behind the front lines.
Speaker McCarthy requested information during the meeting to ensure that U.S. aid is being used properly and asked for data that could help persuade lawmakers that Ukraine has a clear winning strategy. McCarthy is under pressure from hardline Republicans in the House to halt support for Ukraine.
Republican Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told reporters after the meeting that opposition within the Republican Party to continued support for Ukraine is not significant and that Congress is likely to approve the $24 billion additional aid package. However, he added, "You cannot win a war through attrition," emphasizing that lawmakers need to be confident that Ukraine can achieve victory.
In fact, 23 hardline Republican House members and six Senators sent a letter to the White House on the same day opposing additional aid to Ukraine.
In the Senate, Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell jointly welcomed President Zelensky. During his meeting with Senators, Zelensky reportedly said, "If we do not receive support, we will lose the war," according to Leader Schumer.
The U.S. government hopes that President Zelensky’s visit to Congress will help secure support from Republicans who have been skeptical about additional aid. Secretary of State Antony Blinken appeared on MSNBC that day and said, "President Zelensky’s visit to Washington gave him the opportunity to meet and speak directly with Congress," adding, "We expect to reaffirm ongoing support." He further emphasized, "Continuing support for Ukraine is extremely important," and noted that not only the U.S. but also other allied countries are maintaining such support.
Meanwhile, The Economist in the UK argued on the same day that Ukraine and the West should revise their war aims from 'victory followed by reconstruction' to enduring a long war and prospering. In an article titled "Ukraine Faces a Long War. A Change of Course Is Needed," the publication analyzed that Ukraine’s counteroffensive, which began in June, has not yielded results and that high expectations for future success are unlikely. It also stated that Russia is waiting for the West to tire and for former U.S. President Donald Trump’s reelection, and that demands for a ceasefire or peace talks are meaningless.
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