On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated that without continued support from the United States, Russia would likely succeed in Ukraine.

Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee to discuss President Joe Biden’s proposal for $106 billion in funding for Ukraine, Israel, and U.S. border security.

During the hearing, Austin stated that he can ensure Putin’s success if we do not offer our support.

If we abruptly remove support, Putin’s power will only increase, allowing him to achieve his objectives successfully.

Biden emphasized the importance of aiding U.S. allies for the sake of national security. He asked for a budget of $61.4 billion for Ukraine, with approximately half of the funds intended to replenish depleted weapon supplies from previous support efforts within the United States.

Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Congress has authorized a total of $113 billion for Ukraine. However, the White House has declared that it only has a remaining balance of $5.5 billion to support the transfer of weapons from U.S. stockpiles to Ukrainian forces engaged in combat against Russia.

The future of Biden’s recent funding proposal seems unclear. Both Democrats and many Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives support Biden’s approach of combining aid for Ukraine with assistance for Israel.

However, GOP leaders in the House of Representatives oppose the idea of merging the two matters, with support from certain members of their party in the Senate.

According to Austin, the Biden administration’s goal is for Ukraine to maintain its operations during the winter months. However, this may not be possible for Kyiv if they are required to halt due to insufficient support from the U.S.

On Monday, military officials in Kyiv reported that Russia has strengthened its military presence near the destroyed city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine and has shifted its troops from a defensive stance to an offensive one. However, Ukraine has been making preparations to defend against these attacks.