The Power Within: The Kyiv Independent’s first-ever magazine. Be among the first to get it.

pre-order now
Skip to content
Edit post

Biden: Aid to Ukraine is 'open-ended'

by The Kyiv Independent news desk February 9, 2023 6:22 AM 2 min read
This audio is created with AI assistance

As Russia prepares to launch another full-scale offensive against Ukraine, United States President Joe Biden said in an interview with PBS NewsHour on Feb. 8 that aid to Ukraine is open-ended.

When PBS’s Judy Woodruff asked Biden if aid to Ukraine is open-ended, Biden replied, "Yeah, it is."

Biden also said that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has “already lost Ukraine,” adding that Putin believed wrongly that NATO would not respond to Russia's invasion.

“He thought that if he invaded Ukraine, first of all, he’d get a welcome by every Russian speaker, they’d say, ‘Come on in.’ Secondly, he thought what would happen is that NATO would collapse, NATO would not to do anything, they’d be afraid to act," he said.

In response to a question about a small group of Republican lawmakers who think that too much U.S. assistance is going to Ukraine, Biden laughed.

“If these guys don’t want to help Ukraine, I get it, they don’t want to do that, but what are they going to do to when Russia rolls across Ukraine or into Belarus or anywhere else?” he added.

The day before, Biden delivered his annual State of the Union address, during which Biden pledged to support Ukraine as long as needed.

On Feb. 3, the U.S. announced a new security package worth $2.17 billion to Ukraine, which includes long-range Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) missiles for U.S.-provided HIMARS multiple rocket launchers and more Javelin anti-tank weapons.

“In total, the US has committed $32 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since 2014, and $29.3 billion since Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion nearly one year ago this month,” Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said on Feb. 3.

Biden to Congress: US will stand with Ukraine ‘as long as it takes’

News Feed

8:06 AM  (Updated: )

Zelensky visits South Africa but cuts trip short after mass Russian strike.

"We count on South Africa’s meaningful participation in the International Coalition for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. We will also certainly strengthen our cultural and educational ties," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
5:30 AM

Trump says he may meet Putin 'shortly' after May Middle East visit.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Trump and Putin have yet to have direct contact, communicating only through their officials. Trump's last in-person encounter with his Russian counterpart was during the 2018 Helsinki Summit during the U.S. president's first term.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.