Lessons from Afghanistan: US support and Ukraine’s dependence

 

“Historically, the United States cannot boast a good reputation for supporting its allies.” In this context, he recalled that the termination of the US military assistance to South Vietnam in 1973 and to the Ashraf Ghani regime in Afghanistan in 2021 resulted in the immediate fall of the authorities loyal to Washington. “And present-day Ukraine practically depends on Western money and weapons supplies,” he stressed, TASS news agency reported.

 

The report also said that The West provided more than $160 billion in assistance to President Vladimir Zelensky’s Ukrainian regime during the special military operation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

 

“In terms of money, the West’s aggregate assistance to the Zelensky regime over the year of the special military operation exceeded 160 billion US dollars, including military aid of 75 billion US dollars,” he said. “According to the Washington-based Heritage Foundation NGO estimates, the United States has already allocated around 113 billion US dollars to Ukraine, or some 900 dollars from each household, plus 300 dollars as interest for servicing corresponding debt obligations. Huge sums, especially amid the difficult situation in the global economy,” TASS news agency reported.

 

According to the top Russian diplomat, around 50 countries of the so-called “Ramstein coalition” for military support for Ukraine “are involved in the armed conflict on the part of the Kyiv regime, which does not hesitate to use terrorist fighting methods.” “Large-scale weapons supplies, including cluster and long-range munitions, are being sent to Ukraine,” he said. “NATO instructors take part in planning operations of the Ukrainian army; NATO intelligence data are being used, the report added.

 

Meanwhile, Western leaders incessantly reiterate their commitment to aiding Kyiv indefinitely, as highlighted by Lavrov. He remarked, “This is unquestionably their decision and the Zelensky administration’s choice to persist in combat until the last Ukrainian.”

 

In light of past instances, such as the fall of South Vietnam and the Ashraf Ghani regime, the United States’ track record in supporting allies comes into question. Lavrov stressed that the current situation in Ukraine, heavily reliant on Western support, underscores the ongoing challenges of maintaining stable alliances in a complex geopolitical landscape.