The U.S. is mobilizing its allies to reject Russian attempts to annex territory
in Ukraine, something Kyiv hopes will spark more military support.
We’ll break down what’s to come. Plus, we’ll talk about a bipartisan effort in the Senate to include a critical munitions acquisition fund for Ukraine in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.This is Defense & National Security, your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. For The Hill, I’m Jordan Williams. Subscribe here US mobilizes allies amid
Russia nuclear threats
The U.S. and its allies are mobilizing the international community to reject Russian attempts to annex territory in Ukraine, in a move that Kyiv hopes will spur greater military support to deliver Moscow a decisive battlefielddefeat Hawkish supporters of Ukraine say now is the time for the U.S., Europe and
NATO to increase the delivery of heavy artillery, tanks and war planes to Kyiv despite nuclear weapons threats by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin under pressure: Putin is under pressure in Russia because of the battlefield misfires and the chaotic rollout of his mobilization order for 300,000 troops. The Ukrainian military’s stunning counter-offensive in the north-east led Putin to move to mobilize more troops, which has received a negative reaction in Russia.
William Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine and vice president of the Russia and Europe program at the U.S. Institute of Peace, said the news is helping the U.S. effort.
“My bet is that the [global] reaction would be to double down on support for the Ukrainians on the battlefield,” he said. “The Russians have a big manpower problem and now’s the time for the Ukrainians, reinforced by these weapons… to allow them to break through the Russian lines and push the Russians out.”
A preview of what’s to come: The U.S.
. and United Kingdom have warned that what they call “sham” votes in four Ukrainian territories are an effort to annex Ukrainian territory while justifying the war to the Russian public.
The U.K. Ministry of Defense tweeted on Tuesday that Putin is likely to use an address to the Russian Parliament on Friday “to formally announce the accession of the occupied regions of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.”
“Russia’s leaders almost certainly hope that any accession announcement will be seen as a vindication of the ‘special military operation’ and will consolidate patriotic support for the conflict,” the ministry tweeted.
Consequences for
annexation: Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that the U.S. is readying sanctions if Russia moves forward on annexation.
additional severe and swift costs on Russia for proceeding with the annexations,” he said during a press conference on Tuesday. Ukraine has the absolute right to defend itself throughout its territory, including to take back the territory that has been illegally seized, one way or