US V-P Kamala Harris to map out next steps to aid Ukraine at Munich meeting

WASHINGTON - US Vice-President Kamala Harris is expected to discuss Washington’s future support for Ukraine when she travels to a major European security conference in Germany next week, as

Russia’s invasion nears the one-year mark.

Ms Harris will attend the Munich Security Conference from Feb 17 to 19 as Ukraine, still waiting on promised longer-range Western missiles and battle tanks, readies itself for a new Russian offensive that could begin next week.

A White House official said Ms Harris will use a speech in Munich to celebrate the courage of the Ukrainian people, reaffirm international support for the country, condemn Russia’s actions, reaffirm Washington’s mutual defence commitments under the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and “outline the path forward” on Ukraine.

She will “make clear that this fight is part of something bigger – the defence of international rules and norms and freedom and liberty”, according to the official.

Ms Harris will also meet foreign leaders and “continue our intensive diplomatic engagement with allies and partners regarding the war in Ukraine as well as other regional and global issues”.

With President Joe Biden’s support, Ms Harris has tried to carve out a foreign policy niche during the first two years of the administration, meeting foreign leaders at the White House and shoring up ties with non-Chinese nations that border the South China Sea.

The United States has worked to keep up the pressure on Russia, even as Mr Biden’s Democratic Party lost control of the House of Representatives following the midterm elections in November 2022.

Support for Ukraine has included US$29.3 billion (S$38.91 billion) worth of pledged security assistance and an unprecedented use of economic sanctions – including an oil price cap – that have severely impacted Moscow.

The West – previously Russia’s main energy market – has responded to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine by targeting its energy revenues through unprecedented sanctions that also restrict sales to third countries.

Russia’s Finance Ministry said vital oil and gas revenues were down 46 per cent from January 2022 because of the discount that Russian crude now trades at on world markets. Still, Moscow has shrugged off any suggestions that its military operations will shift.

Ms Harris met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at 2022’s conference, which was held just days before Russia’s Feb 24 invasion of Ukraine. REUTERS