US senators urge US and allies to step up support for Ukraine

Senators Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, and Democrats Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island on Wednesday called for support from the United States and its allies for Ukraine, while welcoming the announcement made by President Joe Biden that the United States and Germany would send tanks to Ukraine. The three senators returned from Kiev the day before. On January 20, they met in the Ukrainian capital with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy . “Today’s announcement is welcome news from the Biden administration. Expelling Putin from Ukraine is in the national security interests of the United States, as other sources of danger are watching the outcome of this conflict, the senators said in a joint statement – German Leopard 2 tanks are well suited for this war, and we are happy to hear that Germany has also allowed Leopard 2s to be sent by the allied countries. The combination of American Abrams and German Leopards gives Ukraine a powerful military capability and the ability to expel Russian occupiers. The senators noted that the Ukrainians “exceeded all expectations when it comes to defense of their homeland and the use of the military equipment provided to them”, expressing confidence that the Abrams and Leopard tanks would indeed be used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the upcoming battles with troops are Russian. The senators called on the Biden administration and its allies to send “more long-range firepower like ATACMS and fighter jets like the F-16s and MiG-29s” to Ukraine. The combination of tanks, fighter jets and ATACMS tactical missile systems, according to the senators, “will help Ukraine counter the upcoming Russian offensive and continue the attack both in the east and south to further undermine Russia’s ability to continue to fight in Ukraine”.