TheLittleTwentieth – Renowned Papers Edition, AI Infused

Local sources from Ukraine: НВ, OBOZREVATEL українською.
UK coverage: FRANCE 24 English.

Ukraine’s ongoing conflict with Russia has been a source of anxiety for the Ukrainian government and the international community. The US has been the main donor to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war, providing over $48.7 billion in military aid alone. However, the US administration’s request for $61.4 billion in aid for Ukraine in the 2024 fiscal year has faced opposition from Republicans in the House of Representatives. The new speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, has proposed a separate bill for funding Israel, which the White House has vowed to veto.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned that without US defense assistance, Russia will take advantage of the ‘gaps’ and increase its threat to the security of allies and partners. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has also stated that without US support, Putin will succeed in the war.

The Ukrainian language is also richer than Russian, with a vocabulary that can exceed a million words. To warn someone against certain actions, the exclamation ‘зась!’ is used, which is an ancient and colorful substitute for the Russian phrase ‘не сметь!’

EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv and expressed confidence in Ukraine’s progress towards EU membership, stating that the country was fighting an existential war while simultaneously implementing reforms.

The fate of the aid package for Ukraine hangs in the balance as the US government and Congress continue to negotiate. With the US providing critical resources to prevent Putin from destroying the Ukrainian economy, it is clear that the US will not allow Putin or Hamas to win.