Price calls US a ‘key enabler’ of Ukraine’s success against Russia

State Department spokesperson Ned Price called the United States a “key enabler” of Ukraine’s success against Russia amid the ongoing invasion, speaking just hours after President Biden asked Congress to authorize an additional $33 billion in aid for Ukraine on Thursday.

Price explained in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper that “Congress has generously already supported our strategy in Ukraine” and that the additional funding would allow the administration to continue its efforts to help the country.

The State Department official added that “we have every indication to believe” that Russian President Vladimir Putin believed he would be ruling Ukraine and installing a “proxy government.”

“Instead, his forces have been pushed out of large parts of the country. His forces have lost the battle of Kyiv. His forces have been forced to concentrate in the south and the east. The fact is that Ukrainians have been able — with their grit and determination and courage, have been able to repel Russian forces. They are winning these battles,” Price said.

“But the key enabler, a key enabler in all of this has been the massive amount of security assistance that we have been able to provide, $3.8 billion from the United States alone since February 24, when the invasion began,” he added.

Of the $33 billion requested from Congress to aid Ukraine, more than $20 billion would be devoted to military and security assistance for the country “and for U.S. efforts to strengthen European security in cooperation with our NATO allies and other partners in the region,” according to a White House fact sheet.

A separate $8.5 billion would go toward Ukrainian government assistance and another $3 billion toward humanitarian assistance.

“President Biden’s strong, values-based request for more security, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine reflects what is needed to help them defend not only their nation, but democracy itself,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement following Biden’s request. 

“When the House takes up this request, we look forward to a strong, bipartisan vote.”