Andy Harris says Kiev may have no chance of winning against Russia and suggests winding down US aid to Ukraine
Ukraine is now in a stalemate in its conflict with Russia and it is unclear if it can win, one of Kiev’s top backers in the US Congress, Representative Andy Harris (R-Maryland), has said.
Harris recently told his constituents in a town hall meeting that it is time to wind down direct US aid to Ukraine after Kiev’s springtime offensive, which was supposed to turn the tide of the conflict, failed to achieve its goals, Politico reported on Thursday
“I’ll be blunt, it’s failed,” said Harris, who has been one the staunchest supporters of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and has repeatedly supported military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Kiev. “I’m not sure it’s winnable anymore,” he added.
Asked whether he would support another tranche of aid to Ukraine, Harris insisted that there are a number of concerns about providing more money to Kiev, one of which is the prospect of fraud or waste. “If there is humanitarian monies, nonmilitary monies, or military monies without an inspector general, I’m not supporting it.”
The congressman added that the US has its own issues to deal with, including the trillion-dollar US deficit in the post-Covid years.
“I’m sorry, we don’t have that kind of money,” Harris said of US President Joe Biden’s proposal to provide an additional $24 billion in emergency funds to Ukraine.
Instead of fueling the conflict further by providing Kiev with additional aid, Harris is now calling for peace negotiations.
