Kremlin says Ukraine 'would die in a week' if Western military support stops

Ukraine would not survive for more than a week without Western military and financial aid, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 “Ukraine is being propped up thanks to multi-billion donations that come each month,” the Kremlin said when addressing a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, Moscow-based think tank, on Thursday.

This claim comes on the same day the European Union warned that a bloc would not replace the funding gap if support for Kyiv from the United States dried up

This week US President Joe Biden admitted that he worried US support for Ukraine might get derailed.

This raised fears that political turmoil in Washington could jeopardise crucial military and humanitarian aid that Kyiv requires to battle Russia’s invasion. 

Speaking at the Think Tank in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Putin said that Ukraine would “die in a week,” if the US stopped aiding it.

“The same applies to the defence system. Just imagine the aid stops tomorrow. It will live for only a week when they run out of ammo,” he said.

Putin also claimed that Ukraine had lost more than 90,000 troops since Kyiv’s counteroffensive against Russian forces began in June.

At a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Spain on Thursday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the EU could not replace the US as Kyiv’s primary donor.

The collective efforts of the EU and the United States, which encompass the majority of NATO member nations, play a crucial role in Ukraine's struggle against Russia.

The EU, along with its member states, has pledged over $100 billion in long-term support to Ukraine, including financing for the delivery of weapons. Washington has also made a significant commitment of $43 billion in military assistance, and Congress has granted approval for a total of $113 billion, which includes provisions for humanitarian aid.

However, recent funding from the United States earmarked for Ukraine has encountered a temporary delay due to a weekend agreement reached with the Republicans in order to prevent a government shutdown in the United States.