The Kremlin was delighted that Congress didn’t approve new military aid for Ukraine, and President Biden criticized Republican lawmakers for undermining an ally in need. Ukrainian soldiers, political leaders, and Kyiv’s allies all wondered what would happen if the United States ceased military aid. Despite hopes that Congress will ultimately pass an assistance package, Kyiv officials are racing to strengthen their own military capabilities and deepen ties with steadfast allies.

Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council head Oleksiy Danilov vowed to defend the country and pledged to continue fighting the Russian threat. However, experts warn that a shortfall in U.S. funding could leave Ukraine vulnerable to advanced Russian attacks, severely compromising its air defense capabilities.

As funding debates continue, Ukrainian soldiers fight Russia across bloody trench lines, making difficult decisions about dispersing limited resources. U.S. military aid has decreased significantly over the last several months, forcing Ukraine to stretch its military budget until winter. If the U.S. fails to send more assistance, this will have a devastating effect on Ukraine’s war effort, according to Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko.

However, other allies have stepped up with weapons donations, anticipating the need to fill any gap left by the U.S. Germany, in particular, announced that it would send four more air defense systems to Ukraine in 2025, in addition to the three it has already delivered. Japan also announced additional assistance to Ukraine and expressed readiness to further increase the total.