Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to use the war between Israel and Hamas to reduce Western support for Ukraine, where Russian forces stand to gain if the United States stops supporting Kyiv, two US ministers warned on Tuesday.

“Putin is really looking to take advantage of the (Palestinian Islamist movement) Hamas attack on Israel, hoping that it will distract us (…) and that it will force the United States to withdraw its resources” for Ukraine, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told a US Senate committee. France-Presse and Agerpres report.

During the same hearings devoted to aid to Ukraine and Israel, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in turn, warned that Vladimir Putin would succeed in trying to occupy Ukrainian territory by force if the US stopped supporting Kyiv.

“I can guarantee you that without our support, Putin will win,” Lloyd Austin told the hearing. “If they clear the way now, Putin will only get stronger and will be able to do what he wants: seize the sovereign territory of his neighbor,” the American defense minister added.

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Washington is the most important provider of military aid to Ukraine, providing tens of billions of dollars since the Russian invasion began in February 2022.

But Democratic President Joe Biden’s promise to continue financial support for Ukraine is in jeopardy because of Republican opposition to this aid.

Blinken noted that any termination of US aid to Ukraine could prompt other countries to do the same.

“The message this will send (…) to each of these countries is that the US is going to abandon ship, so why not do the same,” Blinken said.

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