Level of support for Ukraine is unlikely to significantly drop before summer – diplomat Chaly

Chaly shared his perspective during an interview with Espreso.

"There will be weapons, but this is going to be the weapons we're currently using. The worst-case scenario – when US support for the next year is blocked, I believe, won't happen. The average scenario is when the military-technical assistance decreases, meaning weapons are still going to be provided. I'm highlighting the challenge of securing funds for the budget, but the weapon type situation will remain mostly unchanged," stated the diplomat.

He believes that stability should be based on the internal capacity to produce shells, primarily in Ukraine, and external stability, maintaining support at least at the current level.

"I anticipate that this support level won't sharply decline until summer; alternatives will be explored. Many signals suggest this until summer. The IMF has a financial plan until July 15, with money coming through the IMF, including American funds. People assumed this would hold until July 15, expecting the hot phase of the war to be over by then. Unfortunately, that's still the prevailing belief. We need to plan for next fall when a political crisis in the US may make closing our budget challenging. Drawing conclusions from the past period is essential right now," emphasized Valery Chaly.

Chaly stressed that if the USA lags on certain political issues, Ukraine should strengthen ties with European partners.

• On November 16, US President Joe Biden signed a law temporarily funding the US government without support for Ukraine and Israel. 
• On November 18, Bloomberg reported that Congress is likely to finalize negotiations and pass a new aid package for Ukraine by mid-December.