[By Guancha Observer, Wang Yi] The United States appears to be cutting back on military aid to Ukraine. In a program aired by ABC on June 8 local time, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy revealed that the Trump administration had transferred 20,000 anti-"Switchblade" drone missiles originally promised by the previous government to US troops stationed in the Middle East.

"During the previous administration, when Secretary of Defense was Lloyd Austin, we reached an agreement on one project. We relied on this project—20,000 missiles—to counter 'Switchblade' drones. It wasn't expensive, but it was special technology, and we were looking forward to receiving these 20,000 missiles," Zelenskyy said. "This morning, my defense minister told me that the US has redeployed these missiles to the Middle East."

"Russia Today" (RT) reported that Zelenskyy admitted that Ukraine is finding it difficult to deal with Russian drones alone. He mentioned that Ukraine faces many problems in countering these 'Switchblade' drones, and without American military assistance, Russia would have a higher chance of winning, resulting in more losses for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy's interview with ABC. Video screenshot

RT pointed out that the "Switchblade" drones mentioned by Zelenskyy are actually "Bayraktar"-2 drones. Ukraine has always claimed that Iran provided these drones to Russia, but both countries denied this accusation.

Zelenskyy's statement confirmed an exclusive report published by The Wall Street Journal on June 5. The report stated that the Trump administration was transferring a counter-drone technology originally intended for Ukraine to US Air Force units stationed in the Middle East. This move reflects a weakening commitment from the Pentagon to Ukraine's defense and also indicates the scarcity of critical defense resources in the US as its Middle Eastern air force units prepare to respond to potential conflicts with Iran and renewed battles with the Yemeni Houthi rebels.

"This capability is crucial for Ukraine's layered air defense system against Russian attacks," Celeste Wallander, a senior official at the Department of Defense during the Biden administration, said. "But protecting US personnel and bases in the Middle East from Houthi and potential Iranian drone attacks is equally urgent."

The newspaper also revealed that the Trump administration "inherited" the power to provide weapons worth $3.85 billion to Ukraine from the Biden administration but seemed unwilling to do so.

All along, Trump had questioned America's military aid to Ukraine. After taking office, he once suspended the aid and urged Russia and Ukraine to reach a peace agreement as soon as possible. However, there has been no substantial progress in their negotiations. As the two sides escalated their drone and missile attacks against each other, Trump even suggested on May 5 that instead of seeking immediate peace, Ukraine and Russia should "fight for a while," and then "separate them."

Heather Wilson, appointed by Trump as Defense Secretary, is a long-time critic of US involvement in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. She did not attend the NATO "Ukraine Defense Contact Group" meeting held on April 4, marking the first time the US has missed such a meeting in three years. Politico Europe believed that Wilson's absence seemed to indicate that the Trump administration was gradually distancing itself from this organization and further cooling relations with Europe and Ukraine.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Wilson also warned that Europe must provide the majority of military assistance to Ukraine in the future, while the Pentagon's "priority theater" is the Western Pacific.

In the interview, Zelenskyy called on the US to exert pressure on Russia. Video screenshot

Despite this, Zelenskyy clearly hasn't given up on seeking military aid and other support from the US. He told ABC reporters that only "hard pressure" led by the US with EU participation could compel Russia to cease fire. "I believe the US president possesses all powers and sufficient influence," he said. "Besides the US, it doesn't matter who else wants to impose sanctions on Russia. Without the US, there won't be a real impact."

RT reported that Russia repeatedly condemned the delivery of weapons to Ukraine by Western countries, believing that this would not change the course of the conflict but would only escalate tensions and increase human suffering. Previously, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova responded to related reports, stating that Russia has long discussed the issue of the US and West providing weapons to Ukraine and the NATO threat near Russia's borders. One of the tasks of Russia's special military operation was the demilitarization of Ukraine.

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Observer Network. No reproduction without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7513826845700211237/

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