Top U.S. intelligence officials have warned U.S. lawmakers that if the United States does not swiftly provide further military aid, the ongoing frozen military dispute between Ukraine and Russia may begin to thaw and end up favoring Moscow.

The warning issued on Monday follows closely after the U.S. Senate approved a foreign aid bill that would provide $60 billion in assistance to Ukraine in their efforts to maintain control of their territories, over two years after a Russian invasion.

However, the House of Representatives members have declined to present the bill for voting, leading to other countries in the West rushing to supply Ukraine with sufficient arms and ammunition to defend against a potential Russian attack.

According to Avril Haines, the Director of National Intelligence, the $60 billion is crucial for Ukraine’s current defense situation. She made this statement while speaking to members of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

According to her, Ukraine’s withdrawal from Avdiivka and their efforts to prevent additional territorial losses in recent weeks have revealed the diminishing strength of Ukraine’s military due to a decrease in external military support. Without this assistance, it is difficult to envision how Ukraine will be able to sustain the significant progress it has achieved against Russian forces.

The head of the CIA informed legislators that the conflict has reached a critical point and that the outcome will depend heavily on the delivery of American assistance.

According to CIA official William Burns, the Ukrainians’ determination and perseverance are not diminishing, but their supply of ammunition is dwindling. However, there is a limited amount of time left for us to aid them.

Both Haines and Burns restated previous evaluations, confirming that Ukraine’s military has significantly impaired Russia’s forces thus far.

American authorities estimate that over 315,000 members of the Russian armed forces have been either killed or injured, and that two-thirds of the country’s tanks prior to the war have been rendered useless. This has significantly hindered the modernization efforts of the Russian military.

The invasion by Russia has also acted as a catalyst for the West, resulting in Sweden and Finland joining the NATO military alliance.

According to Haines and Burns, various strategic losses have not altered Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision-making.

Haines warned that Putin remains confident that he has time on his side and notes that he remains firmly in power.

“He believes the expansion of NATO and support from Western countries towards Ukraine only confirms his longstanding belief that the United States and Europe aim to constrain Russian influence and challenge his authority,” she explained, stating that Putin’s reaction has been to persist in expanding the Russian military, investing more funds in ammunition production and procuring military goods from Iran and North Korea.

U.S. intelligence agents have observed indications that Putin is still progressing with his efforts to upgrade and strengthen Russia’s stockpile of nuclear weapons, which is widely believed to be the largest and most varied in the entire globe.

Russia appears to be open to taking risks in order to secure an advantage.

Haines expressed ongoing worry that Moscow may jeopardize established international principles that prohibit the utilization of unbalanced or strategically disruptive arms, such as those in space and cyber space.

Several legislators shared similar apprehensions and advised their colleagues to approve the bill in order to provide Ukraine with the necessary military resources.

“My fear is the decision thus far by the House of Representatives not to even take up legislation that would support Ukraine in the fight against Putin aggression has been one of the most short-sighted decisions on a national security issue that I can possibly imagine,” said Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, a Democrat.

Independent Senator Angus King warned that abandoning Ukraine would have a profound and lasting impact, describing it as a 50-year mistake that would plague our country.

U.S. intelligence officials have cautioned about potential worldwide consequences in the event that the extra assistance for Ukraine does not come to fruition.

The CIA’s Burns stated that the repercussions of neglecting Ukraine would extend beyond just the country or European safety; it would affect the entire Indo-Pacific region. If we are perceived as abandoning Ukraine, our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific may question us and it could embolden the Chinese leadership’s plans for various situations in areas like Taiwan and the South China Sea.

According to the intelligence officials, China is currently cautious, but has been encouraged by Russia’s actions.

According to intelligence officials, Russia had to make concessions to China in order to receive support for their conflict with Ukraine.

According to reports, Iran and North Korea have also experienced advantages, but experts caution that the full effects are yet to be seen.

Haines noted that the shifting dynamics could have consequences for established expectations surrounding the prevention of nuclear proliferation.

However, she mentioned that although Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are developing stronger relations, the possibility of a genuine alliance is currently unlikely.

Haines stated that the cooperation between these countries is likely to be restricted due to self-centered motives, a wish to avoid complications, and exhaustion from any negative consequences or uncertainty caused by each other’s actions. However, this limitation may change if there is a direct conflict involving one of these countries and the United States.

Israel – Gaza

American intelligence officials also spoke about worries regarding the current fighting in Gaza. The Israeli army is still targeting members of the Hamas extremist group, even though the United Nations and aid organizations have cautioned against the catastrophic effects on innocent civilians.

“We will persist in our efforts – I cannot guarantee success,” stated CIA Director Burns in response to inquiries about ongoing attempts to achieve a temporary cessation of hostilities.

Burn recently visited Israel, Egypt, and Qatar to hold meetings with officials from the Middle East.

He stated that the proposed agreement would involve the release of approximately 40 Israeli hostages who are currently being held by Hamas. The majority of these hostages are women or elderly men who are wounded or ill. The terms of the deal also include a six-week cease-fire, during which time the United States and its allies will be able to provide much-needed aid.

“I acknowledge the necessity for Israel to retaliate against the vicious assault carried out by Hamas on October 7th, as emphasized by President Joe Biden,” Burns stated in a conversation with Republican Senator Tom Cotton.

“We also need to consider the significant negative impact this has had on the innocent people living in Gaza,” he stated.

Gaza fallout

Haines cautioned representatives that the situation in Gaza has inspired aggression from various groups, and that it is probable that the conflict in Gaza will have lasting effects on acts of terrorism for generations to come.

Currently, Haines stated that Iran and their Lebanese representative, Hezbollah, seem hesitant to make significant efforts to exploit the conflict to their advantage.

She stated that we are constantly evaluating the situation and believe that Hezbollah and Iran have no intention of triggering a larger conflict that would result in a full-scale war involving us or them.

Despite this, Haines recognized that there are other groups connected to Iran, such as the Houthis in Yemen, who have become proactive in their actions by carrying out numerous attacks on global shipping.

Katherine Gypson was a contributor to this report.

Source: voanews.com