It is unlikely that US will provide assistance to Ukraine in near future - diplomat Bryza

He said this in an interview with Anton Borkovskyi, host of the Studio West program on Espreso TV.

The diplomat commented on US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo's belief that Donald Trump would eventually support assistance to Ukraine: "While I haven't personally met Donald Trump, I have worked closely with Secretary Pompeo. From my experience, I can attest to Pompeo's reputation for speaking candidly and sincerely, drawing from his informed perspective gained through holding significant positions within President Trump's cabinet. Pompeo is known for expressing his genuine beliefs rather than merely trying to appease others, even if his truths may be uncomfortable for some to hear. Therefore, when Pompeo asserts his belief in Trump's eventual support for aid to Ukraine, I tend to trust his sincerity and authority on the matter."

Bryza stressed that the urgency of Ukraine's need for assistance to defend its country cannot be overstated.

"Ukraine requires assistance immediately and cannot afford to wait for President Trump's decisions to align with supporting aid for the country. A recent article in The Washington Post, one of the most influential newspapers in the United States, underscores the dire circumstances faced by Ukrainian forces on the front lines. There is a severe shortage of soldiers and artillery shells, with battalion commanders receiving minimal resources to sustain their units. For example, one battalion commander mentioned receiving only 10 artillery shells for his guns in the recent month, while another reported receiving only five fresh soldiers for his unit, which needs 200 to be operational. Consequently, Ukraine urgently requires additional soldiers and artillery shells, and it needs them now," the former US Secretary of State's adviser urges.

As he said, fortunately, the European Union has found a way to bypass Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's opposition to providing more assistance to Ukraine: "However, Ukraine still requires significant aid from the United States. Unfortunately, given the ongoing political turmoil in Washington, it appears unlikely that this aid will be forthcoming in the immediate future." 

• On December 4, the White House announced that without a congressional decision, it would run out of money to provide weapons to Ukraine in its fight against Russia by the end of the year.

• After that, Congress issued an ultimatum to US President Joe Biden regarding assistance to Ukraine: House Speaker Mike Johnson threatened to withdraw support for funding for Kyiv unless the White House agreed to strengthen border security.

• On December 6, US President Joe Biden addressed Congress and called for the defense of freedom and to ensure that Russia does not take over Ukraine. Despite this, the Senate failed a procedural vote to begin work on a bill to provide $106 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. 

• On December 8, it was reported that the US administration is considering including funding for anti-migration measures in the south of the country in the bill to ensure a Republican vote in Congress.

• December 15 The White House draws attention to Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent statements about his intentions in Ukraine and urges Congress not to delay the passage of new aid for Ukraine.

• Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said that the United States Senate had postponed the Christmas recess that was supposed to begin next week.