Biden told top Republicans Russia could defeat Ukraine in weeks if they don’t back aid, report says

Congressional leaders were presented with a grim picture of the collapse of Ukraine’s military without continued US aid in the form of ammunition, vehicles and other supplies during a meeting at the White House, according to NBC News.

Officials with knowledge of the 17 January White House meeting between President Joe Biden and congressional leaders Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Mike Johnson and Hakeem Jeffries told the news outlet that top US officials are predicting massive Russian advances and a total collapse of Ukraine’s ability to fight back should US aid to the latter dry up.

Mr Biden has requested $60bn in supplemental assistance for Ukraine. That request has been met with bickering in Congress, where Republicans are seeking to use the issue as leverage against the administration and Democrats in funding talks.

Within weeks, Ukraine will run out of certain air defence capabilities, national security adviser Jake Sullivan is reported as having told the assembled lawmakers. That could lead to a wide expansion of Russia’s air assaults on not just the front lines but targets across Ukraine. According to Mr Sullivan, Ukraine could only effectively remain a capable fighting force for a few months, possibly even just a few weeks, if further US aid was not passed by Congress.

There was also reportedly talk of the effect that a defeat of Ukraine would have on the US’s image abroad; countries caught between the US and Russia (or China) would likely rethink decisions to seek closer ties with the US, Biden administration officials warned.

It’s the first real sign that the Biden administration is seriously worried about the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war, especially now that the issue of Ukraine aid has become mired in