Putin's [Pu-truschev's] euphoria at political impasse in financial support for Ukraine .

Two days ago Arpan Rai (left) reported that,

"Ukraine’s Western allies must keep up their support for the country through a difficult winter to come in its war with Russia, Nato’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has said.

Mr Stoltenberg admitted Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive this summer had failed to make significant territorial gains, but described Russia’s failure to capture any more major cities as a “strategic defeat” for Vladimir Putin’s invading forces.

“Wars develop in phases. We have to support Ukraine in both good and bad times. We should also be prepared for bad news,” the Nato chief said in an interview with German broadcaster ARD. (The Independent : 4 December 2023) (my emphasis)

As Stoltenberg was reinforcing NATO'S support for Ukraine, Putin [Pu-truschev] was gleeful as the Republicans in the US House of Representatives continued to thwart US President Biden's attempt to gain more funding support for Ukraine.

As reported by Haley Britzky and Lauren Fox,

"The Biden administration’s dire warning that the US will soon be out of money for Ukraine has run up against a grim reality on Capitol Hill, where some House conservatives have balked at supporting more Ukraine funding and Senate Republicans are insisting on making it part of a broader spending package to include money for Israel, Taiwan and the US Southern border." (CNN : 6 December 2023) (my emphasis)

As also reported by Frank Thorp V, Kate Santaliz and Lori Rampani,

"A classified briefing for senators on the White House's request for aid for Israel and Ukraine became "heated" Tuesday, with Republican members storming out of the meeting.
...
But it fell apart, senators from both parties said, after Republicans began asking about the border. GOP members in both chambers have demanded serious changes to immigration policy to address rising migrant crossings in exchange for passing new aid for Ukraine. (NBC News : 6 December 2023) (my emphasis)

DW News : 5 December 2023 : YouTube

 Aljazeera also reports that,

"The victory of the far-right in the recent Netherlands election and fiscal challenges in Germany are also complicating negotiations over the budget, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

The delay is endangering crucial pledges to Kyiv made months ago. A budget agreement would be “very, very difficult”, a senior official said.

The 50 billion euro ($54bn) instrument proposed is designed to keep Kyiv solvent to 2027. A failure to approve long-term funding, as well as a separate 20 billion euro ($22bn) facility for weapons purchases, would hit Kyiv hard as the war grinds on.

Olha Stefanishyna (right), Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, last week described the EU summit as an “existential moment” for her country." (Aljazeera : 4 December 2023) (my emphasis)

Notwithstanding the critical implications of US Republicans denying Biden's call for more funding support for Ukraine and the EU grappling with its budget, Farouq Suleiman reports that,

"Britain's foreign minister David Cameron (left) will underline the importance of support and humanitarian funding for Ukraine during his first visit to Washington since he assumed his post last month, the UK foreign office said on Wednesday.

The former prime minister will travel to the United States to reaffirm both the strength of Britain's relationship with Washington and London's continued support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion." (Reuters : 6 December 2023) (my emphasis)

Putin [Pu-truschev] may be rejoicing at the US and EU political impasse in support for Ukraine, but he also has to contend with the fact that,

"Ukraine’s military has said it has clashed with Russian forces 97 times across the frontline over the last 24 hours, amid fierce fighting as Kyiv looks to defend its lines.

 The general staff of the Ukrainian army said that it had repelled Russian attacks around Bakhmut and other areas of the east, and had pushed Vladimir Putin’s forces back around Zaporizhzhia in the south." (Maira Butt (right): The Independent : 6 December 2023) (my emphasis)

Maira Butt goes on to report that,

"Ukraine’s military security services are claiming Russian forces are killing their own troops using drones so they can’t be captured.

Spokesman for the Tauride Defense Forces, Oleksandr Stupun, made the claim on Ukrainian national TV saying: “The fact is that the Russians do not allow their soldiers to surrender.

“There have even been cases when Russian drones have killed their own wounded.” (ibid Maira Butt) 

Putin [Pu-truschev] would be well advised to heed the words of Jens Stoltenberg (right).

 “Wars develop in phases. We have to support Ukraine in both good and bad times. We should also be prepared for bad news,” the Nato chief said in an interview with German broadcaster ARD.

This small moment of Putin's [Pu-truschev's] euphoria in light of the US and EU political impasse in support for Ukraine may, indeed, be short-lived. 

UPDATE : 7 December 2023

 Rachael Bunyan (left) reports that,

"US Senate Republicans have given Vladimir Putin 'the greatest gift he could hope for' by blocking a £50billion package of wartime funding for Ukraine, President Joe Biden said.

Biden had pleaded with Republicans yesterday for a fresh infusion of military aid for Ukraine, warning that a victory for Russia over Ukraine would leave Moscow in a position to attack NATO allies and could draw US troops into a war.

But hours later, Senate Republicans defiantly voted to block the £50.3billion ($61bn) of funding for Ukraine from advancing, in a devastating blow to Volodymyr Zelensky. That was part of a wider £87billion package ($110bn) of wartime funding for Israel as well as other national security priorities." (Daily Mail : 7 December 2023) (my emphasis)

CNN : 7 December 2023 : YouTube

Prior to America entering WW2 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour,

"During an emergency cabinet meeting called by Roosevelt (left) immediately after the war erupted in Europe, it was agreed that the United States would remain an outside influence unless directly threatened or attacked.

Even had the government backed the war, the United States was still getting over the turmoil of World War I. The general public was not ready to join another war, opting for neutrality. A poll taken in 1939, after the outbreak of war, showed 94% as being against going to war." (Pearl Harbor : 19 January 2017) (my emphasis)

And on Tuesday past (5 December 2023),

"A classified briefing for senators on the White House's request for aid for Israel and Ukraine became "heated" Tuesday, with Republican members storming out of the meeting.
...
But it fell apart, senators from both parties said, after Republicans began asking about the border. GOP members in both chambers have demanded serious changes to immigration policy to address rising migrant crossings in exchange for passing new aid for Ukraine." (ibid Frank Thorp V, Kate Santaliz and Lori Rampani,)

Having succeeded in their bid to block aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, amongst other measures, the Republicans in the US Senate have not only given Putin [Pu-trushev] the best Xmas present that he could ever have wished for, but may also have laid the groundwork for a possible modern-day "Pearl Harbor" to be set in motion that will involve NATO.

                                 

 

(to be continued)