MOSCOW (Reuters) – The director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergei Naryshkin, stated that the issue of support for Ukraine is becoming increasingly divisive in the United States and is likely to deepen as the country approaches its next presidential election. This comes in light of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which commenced when Russia invaded Ukraine in February of the previous year. Since then, the United States and the European Union have made substantial commitments to Ukraine, totaling more than $160 billion. This includes the provision of tens of billions of dollars’ worth of weapons.
Recently, President Joe Biden expressed concerns that the aid provided by the United States to Ukraine may be affected by congressional chaos. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has repeatedly warned about the dangers of allowing Russia to emerge victorious in the war. Naryshkin made these comments during a visit to the Azerbaijani capital Baku, highlighting that the Ukrainian issue is becoming more contentious as the presidential election approaches. He characterized the debate in Washington as a clash between those interested in improving the lives of Americans and those with a strong animosity towards Russians.
Diplomats and intelligence analysts have long speculated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is banking on a weakening of American resolve in Ukraine as the United States grapples with other global crises. The complex task of defeating hundreds of thousands of well-fortified Russian soldiers in Ukraine has become apparent. There are growing concerns about the future of aid to Ukraine following the removal of House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy by Republican lawmakers. Additionally, the United States has consistently called on Kyiv to take more significant action against corruption.
Naryshkin, who has held the position of Russia’s foreign spy chief since October 2016, argued that McCarthy’s removal underscores the divisive nature of the Ukrainian issue within U.S. politics. He acknowledged that counter-terrorism cooperation between Moscow and Western spy services continues; however, the scale of such contacts has been reduced due to the West’s “aggression” towards Russia regarding Ukraine. Moscow presents its military operations in Ukraine as a defensive response to what it perceives as a hostile and aggressive West. In contrast, Kyiv and its Western allies dismiss this as absurd and insist that Russia is engaging in an unprovoked war of aggression and territorial expansion.
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Gareth Jones
Credit: The Star : News Feed
