He said he hoped the supplies would begin reaching the frontlines in the event of an expected Russian offensive this summer, as that would determine where Ukrainian troops could stop them.
While he was grateful that Congress had finally reached a resolution, the soldier said the political wrangling over the aid had left him with an “aftermath” of frustration. “Six months of confusion, behind-the-scenes games, it was a sad sight,” he said.
Some civilians in Kiev have expressed similar concerns about when and how much aid will arrive, as well as a lack of clarity among the Ukrainian public about how much the country will ultimately pay for much-needed aid.
“Better than nothing,” said Georgi Poliarus, 45. “War is a complicated thing anyway, but I think this will help. What will happen next and how much we will have to pay for it is another question.”
The Kremlin has rejected the idea that the newly approved US aid will bring about any change on the front. “All this new supply of weapons ready to be deployed will not change the dynamics on the war front,” press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
But while Washington’s aid package may not immediately change the situation on the battlefield, it is an important development that weakens Russia, said Christopher Tuck, a conflict and security expert at King’s College London.
“We know it won’t be transformational, because Ukrainian forces have not had decisive battlefield success last summer, even though they had more aid than they have now,” Tuck said.
“But the vote in Congress to approve the aid demonstrates politically that the United States is still behind Ukraine, Tuck said, as Russia’s hopes of ending the war on more favorable terms believe the tide is turning in its favor, not just on the battlefield. but also in the halls of power.
“Ukraine’s increased firepower could further increase Russian casualties and help slow or stop their advance,” he said. “This is important because for any peace settlement to emerge, Russia must first believe that continuing to fight will not improve their bargaining position.”
Daryna Mayer reported from Kyiv, and Yuliya Talmazan reported from London.
Courtney Kube, Carol E. Lee and Mosheh Wins contributed.