The recent statement by former U.S. President Donald Trump labeling Volodymyr Zelensky as a "dictator without elections" has fueled concerns among Ukrainians that U.S. military aid could soon be questioned by a new administration, according to a report by Le Monde.

The absence of American military assistance would mean that "we will last for six months," stated Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, the former deputy chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, during the Munich Security Conference on February 17th. He added that Europe is not capable of replacing American support.

Nikolai Mitrokhin, a research associate at the University of Bremen, echoed this sentiment, stating the current American supplies, if used sparingly, could last until mid-summer or fall.

U.S. military support is crucial for several critical segments of Ukrainian operations. This includes air and missile defense largely comprised of Patriot systems deployed around key infrastructure and Kyiv. Operating the Patriot systems requires a substantial supply of expensive American-made interceptor missiles.

The U.S. is also a major supplier of 155mm artillery shells. There is no indication that German giant Rheinmetall, another significant producer of these munitions for Ukraine, can fill the gap left by the U.S.

A shift in U.S. policy could also affect the delivery of F-16 fighter jets, which has only recently begun, as well as support provided in intelligence sharing.

Previously, Volodymyr Zelensky stated that halting U.S. assistance could be fatal for Ukraine both now, as it repels Russian aggression, and in the future after the war ends. He added, "our chances of survival without United States support would be low."

  War in Ukraine, USA

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