Russian drones continue to attack Ukraine, US aid faces obstacles

2024-02-12 20:13:44, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Russian military hit Ukraine with a barrage of drones on Sunday. It comes as approval of an aid package for Ukraine faces obstacles in a US Congress divided along party lines. As Voice of America correspondent Arash Arabasadi reports, the two main candidates for president of the United States have diametrically opposed views on Ukraine and NATO.

Footage from police body cameras shows the first moments of emergency workers arriving after the deadly Russian drone strike in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

News agencies cannot independently verify the date or location of the event. At least seven people were killed, including three young children.

The New York Times says Russian drones struck a warehouse, causing fuel to spill onto the street and ignite it, trapping families in the burning buildings.

Ukraine faces an uncertain future in the fight against the Russian aggressor.

While the European Union recently approved a four-year aid package of $54 billion, continuing US financial aid may be more challenging.

President Joe Biden hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House. During the meeting with the NATO ally, the American leader emphasized the need for the approval of an aid package for Ukraine by the American Congress divided along party lines.

"The national security spending package must be approved immediately. Members of the House of Representatives are reluctant, and I hope the attitude is more political than real. "The aid package for Ukraine must be approved to help them be able to defend themselves against Russia's brutal aggression," President Biden said.

Ukraine depends on the financial and material support of mainly NATO member countries in its efforts against Russian aggression.

President Biden's opponent for the White House, Donald Trump, said that when he was president he had warned the leader of a NATO member country to spend more on defense or else Russia could do what it wanted.

"During a meeting I told them that you have to pay the obligations for NATO. The president of a major country asked me if we don't pay our dues and are attacked by Russia, will you protect us? I said, have you not paid your dues? He said no. I told him I won't protect you. In fact, I would encourage them (Russia) to do whatever they want. You have to fulfill your obligations," said Mr. Trump.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement on Sunday that any suggestion that NATO allies would not protect each other "undermines all of our security, including that of the United States."

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said on Monday that Mr Trump should be more serious on the campaign trail.

"NATO cannot be a military alliance at will. It cannot be an alliance that works depending on the daily mood of the American president. We must be serious. NATO cannot be at will," said Mr. Borrell.

Former US ambassador to the United Nations during President Trump's administration, Nikki Haley, Mr Trump's only rival to secure the Republican nomination in November's presidential election, said her former boss is siding with the Russian president.

"Putin kills his opponents. He occupies the vacant seats. He is not a man to associate with and definitely give him the right to occupy a friendly country. "Everyone in NATO has to meet its financial obligations, but the reason this organization has been successful for 75 years is because Russia has never invaded any NATO member country," Ms Haley said.

During the presidential term, Mr. Trump supported the NATO regulation for mutual protection of member countries. But he has often criticized countries that default on financial obligations.

According to a NATO report, as of 2022 seven countries out of 31 member states are in full compliance with their obligations to the Western alliance, compared to just three states in 2014. Russian aggression against Ukraine has prompted some allied countries to increase defense spending. ./ VOA