Republican lawmakers have criticized the administration for refusing to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.
The comments came after the United States and its NATO allies said they believed China was considering providing “deadly” aid to Russia.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States was providing Ukraine with the military assistance it needed to return territories seized by Russia, and China had yet to provide any assistance. military assistance to Moscow.
House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Michael McCall told ABC that long-range aircraft and artillery could help end the war more quickly.
“It’s gone on too long,” McCall said. “It could have been avoided.”
Ukraine last month won backing from the Baltic states and Poland in its quest for Western fighter jets, but so far there are no signs that the US and UK will change course. position by refusing to supply military aircraft to Kiev. President Joe Biden said in an interview with ABC News on Friday that he’s “ruling that out for now,” saying it’s not the kind of weapon Ukraine needs in the near term.
Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska told NBC that the White House has been slow to provide the military equipment Ukraine needs, including planes.
“That was to be expected from the current administration early on when it slowly delivered critical military weapons systems,” the lawmaker said.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan pointed out that the United States was already supplying parts to keep Ukraine’s fleet of Soviet-made planes operational, but the delivery of the F-16 is “a matter for another day. , another phase” of the war.
According to Jake Sullivan, supplying arms to Russia is not in China’s interest, as it could damage its relations with a number of countries, including the European allies of the United States. He also noted that supplying arms would make China liable for war crimes, the bombing of civilians, and other atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.
