Former UK Armed Forces minister: 'Ukraine defeat will cost trillions to West in new Cold War'

Ukraine needs more aid packages to avoid defeat, which "would cost the West trillions in a new Cold War," the former British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said in an April 28 interview with The Telegraph.

After months of political infighting and a deteriorating situation on the battlefield in Ukraine, the U.S. House of Representatives finally passed the crucial foreign aid package on April 20, which includes $60.84 billion for Ukraine.

On April 24, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the foreign aid bill, marking the final step of the long and often stalled legislative process.

When and how will US aid impact the front lines in Ukraine?

After almost seven months of delays, the U.S. Congress finally approved $61 billion in aid for Kyiv, mostly in the form of military assistance. The legislation was promptly signed by U.S. President Joe Biden, and shortly after, the Pentagon announced the first defense package of $1 billion, contain…

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on April 23 a 500-million-pound ($617 million) uplift in military support for Ukraine, largest military aid package from the country to date.

Sunak also pledged to supply Ukraine with hundreds of armored vehicles, 60 boats, and four million rounds of small-arms ammunition.

Heappey said that Kyiv will need more aid packages like those unveiled last week to win the battle for "security across the whole European-Atlantic region."

"A stalemate or, heaven forbid, a Ukrainian defeat promises a new Cold War that will last for decades and cost trillions of dollars more," Heappey added.

The former British Armed Forces minister believes that the latest military aid supplies will not "immediately balance the situation" on the front line but will allow Ukrainians to start "a final offensive that brings a quick and complete victory."

Heappey said that Ukrainian forces will not be ready to defeat Russia until 2025 or even 2026.

While aid stalled amid months of political infighting, Russia took advantage of Ukraine's growing battlefield ammunition shortages, capturing the city of Avdiivka in February.

The lack of air defense systems has also become urgent for Kyiv as Russian troops continue to intensify attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. In April, Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said it needed at least $350 million to recover the lost capacity caused by Russia's attacks on thermal power plants.

Kyiv repeatedly urged its allies to send more air defense systems to defend itself from Russian attacks.

Zelensky on US aid: ‘We will do everything to compensate for the 6 months that have passed in debate and doubt’

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his April 24 evening address that Ukraine “will do everything” to compensate for the six months that passed while the country waited for the U.S. to pass further assistance for Kyiv.

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova