On Tuesday’s broadcast of NBC’s “Today,” White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby responded to a question on whether the Ukraine money requested by the White House will be decisive and isn’t just funding a stalemate or a perpetual conflict by stating that the money “will absolutely help Ukraine claw back even more of their territory and try to kick the Russians right out of Ukraine, to restore their own territorial integrity.” But “I couldn’t tell you with any great specificity” how long the fight will last.
Co-host Savannah Guthrie asked, “As you well know, there has been significant erosion in polling for American support for continuing aid at this level for Ukraine. Congress has already approved more than 110 billion, this request is for another 60 billion. Americans are looking for an endgame here. Can you say that if this aid package is passed, it will be decisive, that there’s a strategy to follow it up, that it’s not just funding a stalemate or a war in perpetuity?”
Kirby responded, “What I can assure the American people is that this additional funding will absolutely help Ukraine claw back even more of their territory and try to kick the Russians right out of Ukraine, to restore their own territorial integrity. This is critical funding for critical systems that will absolutely have a profound impact on the battlefield for the Ukrainian soldiers. It will also help encourage other nations to continue their support for Ukraine. Now, how long that fight’s going to go, I couldn’t tell you with any great specificity, but this kind of funding for these kinds of systems [is] critical right now.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
