Ukraine Faces Growing Calls From US to Cede Land to Russia

A Republican senator has said Ukraine could give land to Russia in "America's best interest" to put an end to the war there.

Ohio Senator J.D. Vance said it was preposterous to think that the Ukrainian military was going to force Russian troops back to the border crossed during the invasion in February 2022. Vance told CNN's State of the Union: "What's in America's best interest is to accept Ukraine is going to have to cede some territory to the Russians and we need to bring this war to a close."

The Biden administration has been a staunch backer of Ukrainian efforts to repel Vladimir Putin's Russian invaders, but President Joe Biden has faced difficulty getting his latest request for funding through Congress. Newsweek contacted representatives of Vance and the White House by email on Saturday.

A Republican-controlled House has not approved Biden's funding request of $106 billion, which includes $61 billion in additional aid for Ukraine. Also contained in the bill are funds for Israel and U.S. border security, a key negotiating point for Republicans.

"What we're saying to the president, and really to the entire world, is you need to articulate what the ambition is; what is $61 billion going to accomplish that $100 billion hasn't?" Vance said.

The Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimated that more than $79 billion in financial, humanitarian and military aid had been sent by the U.S. to Ukraine since the Russian invasion.

Vance isn't alone in his party. In February, Florida Representative Matt Gaetz introduced a resolution co-sponsored by 10 other House Republicans to end aid to Ukraine.

Part of the frustration for conservatives is the lack of movement in the war. That is, significant numbers in aid has been sent to Ukraine, but it remains unlikely that it will become victorious against Putin's forces and push them out.

Security expert Dr. Rod Thornton of the Defense Studies Department at King's College London in the U.K. told Newsweek previously that the war is expected to remain as something of a stalemate for months to come.

"What we are going to end up is a frozen conflict," Thornton said. "We are going to end up with Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine and the front lines aren't going to move."

On December 29, Russia launched a major aerial bombardment on Ukraine, whose officials said strike sites included residential buildings, a maternity hospital and school.

Biden called it Russia's "largest aerial assault on Ukraine since this war began." He used the strikes to call for Congress to pass more aid for Ukraine.

Biden said in a statement on December 29: "In the face of this brutal attack, Ukraine deployed the air defense systems that the United States and our Allies and partners have delivered to Ukraine over the past year to successfully intercept and destroy many of the missiles and drones."

A total of 114 out of 158 missiles used in the attack were shot down, the Ukrainian Air Force said. Newsweek has been as yet unable to verify these figures.

Biden added: "The American people can be proud of the lives we have helped to save and the support we have given Ukraine as it defends its people, its freedom, and its independence.

"But, unless Congress takes urgent action in the new year, we will not be able to continue sending the weapons and vital air-defense systems Ukraine needs to protect its people. Congress must step up and act without any further delay," the president added.

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