European leaders are appealing to outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden in a last-minute effort to secure support for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 14, citing people familiar with the plans.
Trump, who has opposed ongoing U.S. aid to Ukraine and pushed for a speedy deal with Moscow to end the war, will take office on Jan. 20, 2025.
Some EU officials are urging the U.S. to provide more weapons and artillery to Ukraine, as well as permissions to carry out long-range strikes on Russia, sources told Bloomberg.
There have also been requests for additional sanctions against Moscow. Many of the requests have been informal, sources said.
The Biden administration has assured Ukraine that it will receive the full $6 billion in remaining congressionally-allotted aid before Trump returns to the White House in January.
In an emergency visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels after the U.S. election, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the administration is also looking for additional assistance for Ukraine ahead of the presidential transition.
Biden will "continue to shore up everything we're doing for Ukraine" to ensure it can either fight effectively next year or negotiate peace with Russia from a position of strength, Blinken said.
Despite these assurances, the U.S. has not changed its position on Ukraine's use of long-range American weapons against military targets deep within Russia. Such permission was a key part of the five-point victory plan President Volodymyr Zelensky presented to Western leaders.
"When we engage with our American friends and partners, I really hope we'll continue our support to Ukrainians, including on deep strikes, to use legitimate defense when targets are used to strike Ukraine's defense and infrastructure," France's European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad told Bloomberg in an interview.
With Washington's continued military support for Kyiv now uncertain, Europe has become Ukraine's main defense partner in the war against Russia.
Jakub Janda
(Updated: )
