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Biden Promises Zelensky US Backing for ‘as Long as It Takes’

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America will back Ukraine with military and financial aid until Russia‘s invasion ends in failure, President Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their historic appearance together at the White House on Wednesday, with the leaders projecting unity and seeking to hold together an international coalition — and a fraying U.S. Congress — as the war nears the 10-month mark.

The White House meeting, which marked Mr. Zelenskyy‘s first trip outside of Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24, offered the two men the chance for a rare face-to-face conversation. Mr. Biden said he looked deep into the Ukrainian president’s “soul” and saw that Mr. Zelenskyy “is who he says he is.”

“It’s clear who he is. He‘s willing to give his life for his country,” Mr. Biden said of Mr. Zelenskyy during their joint press conference, which followed a roughly two-hour conversation in the Oval Office. (Read more from “Biden Promises Zelensky US Backing for ‘as Long as It Takes’” HERE)

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Ukraine’s Zelensky in DC; Biden Meet, Congress Address

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to speak to Congress and President Joe Biden on Wednesday and claim the $45 billion worth of aid designated for Ukraine in the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill is not enough support.

Congress is weighing whether to pass the massive $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that designates $45 billion in military and economic aid for Ukraine. The $45 billion is in addition to the $66 billion lawmakers have already approved of taxpayers’ money for Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Zelensky released a video revealing he will tell Biden and Congress $45 billion is still not enough support. . .

Zelensky’s claim that $45 billion is not enough aid – on top of the already approved $66 billion – comes as the omnibus bill is expected to approve a military budget of about $858 billion, $45 billion more than Biden had requested from taxpayers. (Read more from “Ukraine’s Zelensky in DC; Biden Meet, Congress Address” HERE)

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Congress’ Massive Spending Bill Sets Aside Another $45 Billion for Ukraine

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Congress appropriated an additional $45 billion in emergency assistance to help Ukraine repel Russia’s invasion in its yearly spending bill released early Tuesday.

The bill is Congress’ largest assistance package for Ukraine to date, following a $40 billion package signed into law in May, a $12 billion supplement in September and $800 million authorized in Congress’ defense spending budget, bringing the total anticipated support for Ukraine in 2022 to nearly $100 billion. It exceeds President Joe Biden’s $37 billion request for military, economic and humanitarian support for Ukraine despite some Republican opposition to offering a “blank check” to Ukraine.

“Finalizing the omnibus is critical, absolutely critical for supporting our friends in Ukraine,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said, according to The Associated Press.

Congress appropriated $858 billion in defense funding, in line with the FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act that passed the Senate last week.

It includes $9 billion in direct military assistance under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and $11.9 billion to finance future drawdowns of U.S. weapons stocks and replacements with new equipment through September 2024, the bill shows. Other funds go toward upgrading U.S. troop presence in Europe, expanding research and development programs and increasing procurement thresholds. (Read more from “Congress’ Massive Spending Bill Sets Aside Another $45 Billion for Ukraine” HERE)

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Russian Troop Losses Could Hit 100K Before Christmas: Ukraine

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Russian President Vladimir Putin’s army is poised to reach 100,000 troop losses just shy of Christmas and the Ukraine war’s 10-month anniversary, according to calculations based on Ukrainian estimates.

The Defense Ministry of Ukraine and General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine provide daily estimates of how many Russian personnel have been lost since the day before, as well as the total number of Russian losses since the war began.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that Russia had lost about 98,800 troops as of Monday. With 520 new estimated Russian losses on Monday included, a Newsweek calculation based on the Ukrainian death counts show that Russia has lost an average of 577 soldiers per day over the past week. If this or a similar average is maintained over the next few days, Russia will surpass the 100,000 mark on Thursday. (Read more from “Russian Troop Losses Could Hit 100K Before Christmas: Ukraine” HERE)

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U.S. Weapons Causing ‘Heavy’ Russian Losses Amid Artillery Duels: Commander

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Ukrainian and Russian forces have reverted to punishing artillery duels across much of the front line as both sides wait for frozen ground that is expected to open a new window for fresh mechanized offensives.

As in the summer, both sides are facing intense ammunition pressures as artillery teams seek and destroy their rivals. Ukraine is in a unique bind; struggling to refill its stocks of Soviet-made 152mm caliber shells, while also trying to integrate a smorgasbord of NATO-donated artillery systems that largely fire 155mm munitions.

Weapons including the U.S.-made M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System and its British and German counterparts; the American M777; the French Caesar; the Polish AHS Krab; and the German PzH 2000 are all now in regular use along the front.

Western systems and shells, one commander fighting on the southern front told Newsweek, have been instrumental in helping the Ukrainians inflict serious casualties on the invaders and erode their ability to defend occupied positions. (Read more from “U.S. Weapons Causing ‘Heavy’ Russian Losses Amid Artillery Duels: Commander” HERE)

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Russian Commander Suggests Nukes as ‘Only’ Option To Win War

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A Russian commander suggested that using nuclear weapons may be the only way Russia can be victorious in its war against Ukraine.

The remarks come more than nine months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the Ukraine invasion in February, hoping for a quick win against his Eastern European neighbor.

However, Ukraine’s spirited defense efforts, bolstered by Western humanitarian and military aid, have blunted Moscow’s military gains. Putin’s troops continue to struggle to achieve substantial goals. . .

Alexander Khodakovsky, the commander of Russia’s Donetsk militia, pointed to nuclear weapons as one way Russia could win the war during an appearance on state TV. Video of his appearance was translated and posted to Twitter by BBC reporter Francis Scarr. (Read more from “Russian Commander Suggests Nukes as ‘Only’ Option To Win War” HERE)

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NATO Facing ‘Very Real’ Arms Shortage Due to Ukraine War

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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) arms stockpile is dwindling due to the Russia-Ukraine war, according to a U.S. ambassador.

Ambassador Julianne Smith, permanent U.S. representative to NATO, made the comments during an interview Tuesday with Dr. Kathleen McInnis, a senior fellow in the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ International Security Program.

“This is a very serious challenge, both for NATO allies that are giving serious commitment, significant military assistance/lethal assistance to the Ukrainian military forces, but it is a significant challenge for the Ukrainian military forces themselves that are facing shortfalls and declining stockpiles,” said Smith, who was appointed in November 2021.

She said there are efforts taking place among myriad entities and organizations to increase stockpiles. (Read more from “NATO Facing ‘Very Real’ Arms Shortage Due to Ukraine War” HERE)

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Russia’s Ammo ‘Rapidly Dwindling,’ May Begin To Run Out in Early 2023: Pentagon

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The Russian military is quickly running out of artillery and rocket ammunition, Pentagon officials said Monday, and the Russian army can only sustain its current rate of attack in Ukraine until early next year.

A senior U.S. defense official told reporters on a conference call that Moscow is increasingly turning to Iran and North Korea to replenish its “rapidly dwindling” stockpiles of rocket and artillery rounds, which have been crucial to Russia‘s months-long assault on Ukraine‘s energy infrastructure.

The Russian military has relentlessly attacked Ukrainian civilian targets across the country in recent months ahead of the looming winter season, but the current pace may only be sustainable for another few weeks or months at best. (Read more from “Russia’s Ammo ‘Rapidly Dwindling,’ May Begin To Run Out in Early 2023: Pentagon” HERE)

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This Is the Real Reason Why Biden Took the Deal To Get a WNBA Player Out of Russia

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As we’ve noted here, when it comes to The Art of the Deal, Biden doesn’t have it, which was painfully exposed when he pulled the trigger on a bad deal to get back WNBA star Brittney Griner who has been detained in Russia for months. In February, Griner was jailed on drug charges, with vape charges containing cannabis oil on her person. It was for medicinal purposes, but it’s illegal in Russia. A months-long legal circus carried allegations that the Biden White House either didn’t know or care that an American was being detained overseas. It also didn’t help that Griner’s detention occurred just as the Biden administration and the rest of the West slapped sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. . .

The Biden administration’s new line appears we took the deal because this notorious arms dealer would be released from prison soon anyway. That’s at least what John Kirby told Fox News’ Shannon Bream (via RealClearPolitics):

SHANNON BREAM, FOX NEWS: So, how will this administration answer the questions about why Marc Fogel and Paul Whelan were left behind?

KIRBY: We will, of course, cooperate fully with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. If there’s a need and desire for more information, we’ll be as forthcoming as we obviously can be. Of course, we respect the role of Congress.

A couple of points here. Mr. Bout wasn’t serving a life sentence, Shannon. He was going to get out in 2029. So, at some point in the not too distant future, he would have been a free man. It is six years earlier.

(Read more from “This Is the Real Reason Why Biden Took the Deal To Get a WNBA Player Out of Russia” HERE)

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Trump Says He Rejected Russian Offer to Swap Former Marine for ‘Merchant of Death’

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Former President Donald Trump said Sunday that he had previously rejected an attempt by Russia to trade “Merchant of Death” arms dealer Viktor Bout for former US Marine Paul Whelan — insisting he would never free someone who has “killed untold numbers.”

“I turned down a deal with Russia for a one on one swap of the so-called Merchant of Death for Paul Whelan,” Trump, 76, said in a Truth Social post.

“I wouldn’t have made the deal for a hundred people in exchange for someone that has killed untold numbers of people with his arms deals.”

Bout, who was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans by supplying a Colombian terrorist group with weapons, was freed last week in exchange for the return of WNBA star Brittney Griner.

Griner had been sentenced to nine years in a Russian forced labor camp after authorities found vape canisters with cannabis oil in her suitcase when she touched down in Moscow back in February. (Read more from “Trump Says He Rejected Russian Offer to Swap Former Marine for ‘Merchant of Death'” HERE)

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