Andy Harris suggests winding down US aid to Ukraine amid 'stalemate'
US Congressman Andy Harris, who has long been among the staunchest backers of military aid to Ukraine, says it's time to wind down direct military assistance to Kiev.
Harris told his constituents in a town hall meeting that Ukraine is now in a stalemate in its conflict with Russia and Kiev may have no chance of winning against Moscow.
“I’ll be blunt, it’s failed. I’m not sure it’s winnable anymore," he said.
Harris, who has previously repeatedly supported military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, said 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.”
“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, adding that the US has its own issues to deal with.
Washington has provided more than $42 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia launched its special military operation.
Instead of providing Kiev with more weapons, Harris is now calling for peace negotiations, saying that "the time has come to realistically call for peace talks."
He said Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky must know that "without our help, he would abjectly lose the war. And with our help, he’s not winning. It’s a stalemate now.”
President Zelensky has formally outlawed any negotiations with Moscow as long as Russian President Vladimir Putin remains in power.
He has insisted that Kiev will discuss peace only after Russian forces withdraw from the territories it claims as its own.
Moscow, however, has repeatedly said that it is open to peace talks as long as Kiev respects its national security interests and the status of the former Ukrainian regions that officially joined Russia following referendums.
Russia accuses Ukraine's Western allies of thwarting attempts at finding a peaceful resolution.
Russia launched its "special military operation" in Ukraine 18 months ago. Moscow said it was aimed at defending Ukraine’s pro-Russia population in Donetsk and Luhansk, eastern Ukrainian regions, against persecution by Kiev.
Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in early June, hoping to push south toward the Crimean Peninsula by the end of the year. The US intelligence agencies, however, said the counteroffensive will stall before reaching the key southeastern city of Melitopol.
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