Wavering over support for Kyiv, US Congress plays Putin's game

On 24 October, 30 members of the House Democratic Progressive Caucus released a letter to Joe Biden calling for a "proactive diplomatic push" on Kyiv to work toward a ceasefire and "direct [US] engagement" with Moscow to end the Russia-Ukraine war. One week earlier, Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy's no "blank cheque" for Ukraine comment raised questions about future congressional support for US assistance to that embattled country.

- Steven Pifer

The letter, even though it has now been withdrawn, and McCarthy's comment are unfortunate. Vladimir Putin will take encouragement from both as Russia wages its war. The suggestion of cracks in US backing for Ukraine will increase his incentives to continue fighting.

The war has not gone as Putin hoped. The Russian army failed to take Kyiv. More recently, the Ukrainian military has driven Russian forces back in the east and south of the country and appears poised to recover further territory. Crucial to Ukraine's success, however, is the flow of US arms. The Kremlin would like nothing more than a future Congress cutting funds for the weapons on which Ukraine depends.

Moscow also would welcome US pressure on Kyiv to seek a ceasefire or American readiness to negotiate directly with Russia on a ceasefire or broader settlement.

While one can understand the desire for an end to the war, the sides at present have nothing to negotiate. The original Russian demands of Ukraine - including neutrality, demilitarisation and recognition of Crimea as Russian and of the Donetsk and Luhansk "people's republics" as independent states - amount to the Ukrainians' total capitulation.