Without U.S. support, Ukraine can hold out against Russia for no more than six months – Le Monde
US President Donald Trump's recent remarks that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a "dictator without elections" have made Ukrainians fear that US military aid will soon be questioned by the new administration.
According to Censor.NET, Le Monde writes about this.
It is noted that at this stage, the supply of defense equipment to Ukraine has not been officially affected.
"We will survive for six months without American military aid. Europe cannot replace American assistance," Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said during the Munich Security Conference, as quoted by the publication.
It is emphasized that US military assistance to Ukraine is crucial for several of the most important segments of Ukrainian operations.
Thus, we are talking about air and missile defense, which includes mainly Patriot systems deployed around important infrastructure and Kyiv. Patriot requires a large number of expensive interceptor missiles, which are also American.
The United States is also a major supplier of 155-millimeter artillery shells. There is nothing to suggest that the German giant Rheinmetall, which is the other major producer of this ammunition for Ukraine, will be able to replace the US.
"The change in US policy could also affect the transfer of F-16 fighter jets, which has recently begun, as well as all the support provided in terms of intelligence sharing," Le Monde adds.
Trump's statements about Zelenskyy's rating
The day before, Trump said that elections should be held in Ukraine, as Zelenskyy's approval rating had fallen to 4%.
As of the first half of February 2025, 57% of Ukrainians trust President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while 37% do not, according to a KIIS survey.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the statements about his 4% rating disinformation.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump called Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections" because he allegedly convinced America to "spend $350 billion on the war".
