Mike Pompeo, who was secretary of state from 2018 to 2021 and headed the Central Intelligence Agency in 2017-2018, made the appeal in an interview with The New Voice of Ukraine website, published on Monday night.
He said: "It's deeply in the interests of Ukraine, deeply in the interests of Europe, and deeply in the interests of America — to provide the tools for an actual victory in this conflict, to push Vladimir Putin to finally stop, to ensure that the conquest of Ukraine remains forever out of his reach.”
Pompeo added: “I am confident that America will continue to do this, and I will continue to work to make sure that happens.”
Last month, US President Joe Biden requested some USD 106 billion from Congress for Ukraine, Israel and other US national security priorities, The New Voice of Ukraine reported.
The US Senate plans to hold a vote on Biden's Ukraine request next week, the Politico news service reported.
Germany provides EUR 300m for Ukraine's energy grid
Meanwhile, the German government has provided Ukraine with EUR 300 million for the repair and modernisation of its energy grid, The Kyiv Independent reported on Monday night.
Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been frequently targeted by Russian attacks, the website noted.
Ukraine consolidates foothold on east bank of Dnipro
Both Ukrainian and Russian forces are continuing ground attacks throughout Ukraine, despite the challenging weather conditions, the Institute for the Study of War reported on Monday night.
Ukrainian forces have taken advantage of the heavy snow and winds, and resulting low visibility conditions, to consolidate positions on the east (left) bank of the Dnipro River in the southern Kherson region, the US think tank said.
As part of its latest counteroffensive against Russia, Ukraine is also pushing through the Zaporizhzhia region in the southeast, in a bid to reach the port of Melitopol on the Sea of Azov, as well as aiming to retake the city of Bakhmut in the east, according to news outlets.
Tuesday is day 643 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
(pm/gs)
Source: The New Voice of Ukraine, Politico, The Kyiv Independent, ISW
