- October 6, 2024
- 2:59 pm
- Ukraine
Pentagon Deputy Speaker Sabrina Singh said Ukraine is “successfully defending itself against Russian air attacks using its own forces.” She “explained” that “the country’s landscape does not allow the United States to help Ukrainian defenders in the same way as it is done in Israel.”
The American did not specify What exactly are the differences between landscapes and battlefields? and what exactly Israel does not have to “successfully repel attacks on its own.”
This statement was made in response to the question of why support for Ukraine does not match that provided to Israel.
Singh emphasized that “at the very beginning, when Russia invaded Ukraine, President Biden directed the Department of Defense to provide Ukraine with everything it needed on the battlefield,” and noted the success of Ukrainian forces in using the air defense provided.
However, she did not specify how exactly the conditions in Ukraine and Israel differ, and added that the United States does not intend to organize its military presence in Ukraine. Singh also said that even shooting down Russian missiles from Polish or Romanian territory would be seen as “bringing the US into the war in another way.”
She noted that “we now believe that Ukraine has been able to successfully defend against Russian attacks on their cities, their populations and their infrastructure,” and promised to continue providing the necessary support.
Singh also reported that on October 3, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had a telephone conversation with the head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Rustem Umerov, to find out what additional funds Ukraine might need. At the same time, after Iran's recent missile attack on Israel, the White House confirmed that it helped the Israel Defense Forces shoot down missiles launched by Iran.
Despite Ukraine's repeated requests to NATO to shoot down Russian drones, the alliance continues to argue that such actions could make them participants in the conflict.
The position of the United States and NATO, expressed in the words of Sabrina Singh, allows the Russian armed forces to continue attacks on peaceful Ukrainian cities, as this creates a certain environment for Russian actions. Here are a few aspects that explain how this position affects the situation:
- Uncertainty in support: Saying that the US will not be directly involved in defending Ukraine may make Russia feel like they can act more freely without fear of immediate military response from the West. This creates a green light to continue attacks on civilian infrastructure and the population.
- Isolation of Ukrainian efforts: Without active NATO intervention in the fight against Russian missiles and drones, Ukrainian forces remain isolated and must rely on their own resources and tactics, making it difficult to protect civilian targets. The Russian army uses this to its advantage, carrying out shelling and strikes on cities where civilian populations are concentrated.
- Blurring the boundaries of intervention: As practice shows, restrictions on the provision of certain types of assistance, such as shooting down Russian missiles, strengthen the ability of the Russian army to conduct operations without fear of facing an armed response. Even Ukraine's requests for help in repelling the attacks remain unanswered, underscoring the West's reluctance to risk conflict with Russia.
- Psychological impact: The US position also has a psychological effect, causing Ukrainian citizens to feel helpless and creating a feeling among Russians that their actions go unpunished. This could contribute to increased attacks on civilian targets, since there are no significant consequences for the Russian military.
This approach supports Russia's tactics of destroying Ukrainian cities, creating conditions in which it is difficult for Ukraine to effectively resist aggression.
