A tough week for U.S.-Ukraine news reveals an imperfect harmony.

Intelligence analysts do not believe Zelenskyy or his aides were involved in the sabotage, but the Biden administration has signaled to Kyiv — much like it did when a car bomb in Moscow killed the daughter of a prominent Russian nationalist last year — that certain acts of violence outside of Ukraine’s borders will not be tolerated.

There has also been, at times, frustration about Washington’s delivery of weapons to Ukraine. The United States has, by far, sent the most weapons and equipment to the front, but Kyiv has always looked ahead for the next set of supplies. Though most in the administration have been understanding about Kyiv’s desperation to defend itself, there have been grumblings about the constant requests and, at times, Zelenskyy not showing appropriate gratitude, according to two White House officials not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations.

“I do think the administration is split, the National Security Council split” on what weapons to send to Ukraine, said McCaul, who’s in constant touch with senior Biden officials. “I talk to a lot of top military brass and they are, in large part, supportive of giving them the ATACMS.”

The administration hasn’t provided those long-range missiles because there are few to spare in America’s own arsenal. There’s also fear that Ukraine might strike faraway Russian targets, potentially escalating the war.

A recent report that the Pentagon was blocking the Biden administration from sharing evidence of possible Russian war crimes with the International Criminal Court also put another dent in the unity narrative. White House officials were dismayed when the New York Times story came out, fearful it would damage the moral case the U.S. has made for supporting Ukraine against Russian war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Harris: Russia committed crimes against humanity

The administration definitively declared the alliance between the United States — and its allies — and Kyiv remained strong, and that it would last as long as the war raged.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the White House is “in constant communication with Ukraine as we support their defense of their sovereignty and territorial integrity.” She added that with Putin showing no signs of ceasing his war, “the best thing we can do is to continue to help Ukraine succeed on the battlefield so they can be in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table for when that time comes.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/12/biden-united-states-ukraine-relationship-cracks-00086654

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‘Celah kecil’: Persatuan perang AS-Ukraina perlahan-lahan hancur berantakan

Minggu yang sulit bagi berita AS-Ukraina mengungkapkan harmoni yang tidak sempurna.

Analis intelijen tidak percaya Zelenskyy atau pembantunya terlibat dalam sabotase, tetapi pemerintahan Biden telah memberi isyarat kepada Kyiv – seperti yang terjadi ketika sebuah bom mobil di Moskow menewaskan putri seorang nasionalis Rusia terkemuka tahun lalu – bahwa tindakan kekerasan tertentu di luar perbatasan Ukraina tidak akan ditoleransi.

Ada juga, kadang-kadang, frustrasi tentang pengiriman senjata Washington ke Ukraina. Amerika Serikat, sejauh ini, telah mengirim sebagian besar senjata dan peralatan ke depan, tetapi Kyiv selalu melihat ke depan untuk set persediaan berikutnya. Meskipun sebagian besar di pemerintahan telah memahami tentang keputusasaan Kyiv untuk membela diri, ada gerutuan tentang permintaan terus-menerus dan, kadang-kadang, Zelenskyy tidak menunjukkan rasa terima kasih yang tepat, menurut dua pejabat Gedung Putih yang tidak berwenang untuk berbicara di depan umum tentang percakapan pribadi.

“Saya pikir administrasi terpecah, Dewan Keamanan Nasional terpecah” pada senjata apa yang akan dikirim ke Ukraina, kata McCaul, yang terus berhubungan dengan pejabat senior Biden. “Saya berbicara dengan banyak petinggi militer dan mereka, sebagian besar, mendukung memberi mereka ATACMS.”

Pemerintah belum menyediakan rudal jarak jauh itu karena hanya ada sedikit cadangan di gudang senjata Amerika sendiri. Ada juga ketakutan bahwa Ukraina mungkin menyerang target Rusia yang jauh, berpotensi meningkatkan perang.

Laporan terbaru bahwa Pentagon memblokir pemerintahan Biden dari berbagi bukti kemungkinan kejahatan perang Rusia dengan Pengadilan Kriminal Internasional juga mengurangi narasi persatuan. Pejabat Gedung Putih kecewa ketika cerita New York Times keluar, takut itu akan merusak kasus moral yang telah dibuat AS untuk mendukung Ukraina melawan kejahatan perang Rusia dan kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan.

Harris: Rusia melakukan kejahatan terhadap kemanusiaan

Administrasi secara definitif menyatakan aliansi antara Amerika Serikat – dan sekutunya – dan Kyiv tetap kuat, dan itu akan berlangsung selama perang berkecamuk.

Juru bicara Dewan Keamanan Nasional Adrienne Watson mengatakan Gedung Putih “berkomunikasi terus-menerus dengan Ukraina saat kami mendukung pertahanan kedaulatan dan integritas teritorial mereka.” Dia menambahkan bahwa dengan Putin tidak menunjukkan tanda-tanda menghentikan perangnya, “hal terbaik yang dapat kita lakukan adalah terus membantu Ukraina berhasil di medan perang sehingga mereka dapat berada di posisi sekuat mungkin di meja perundingan ketika saatnya tiba.”