On March 5, Mr Ben Hodges, a retired Lieutenant General of the US Army and former commander of the US Army in Europe, delivered the sixth lecture at the National University of Ostroh Academy. The main topics of the lecture are Ukrainian diaspora advocacy groups in the United States and their influence in America, the US Congress's blocking of aid to Ukraine, and issues with Ukraine's personnel system.
The meeting was moderated by Eduard Balashov, Doctor of Science (Psychology), Full Professor, and Assistant Rector for International Cooperation and Fundraising of the NaUOA.
We present the most important quotes from the lecture of Mr Ben Hodges:
- "It is a big pleasure to meet you all again; the toughest questions I get are the questions from the students of Ostroh Academy."
- "On the question of why $60 billion in assistance to Ukraine was held in the US, my short answer is that Trump put pressure on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, to pass the aid. Trump wants to be a president and doesn't want anything to happen to let Biden's administration win on the election. But the majority of Republicans do support Ukraine, and it is hard to keep the pressure on the Speaker."
- "It is also important to know that the president is not as clear as he has to be. He should make people understand why it is in the interest of the US to support Ukraine and make russia defeat. But people's minds also depend on russia's disinformation and its potential to influence people's thoughts. Nobody can guarantee the president can explain why it is important for the US to support Ukraine with aid. People should understand that it is not just a charity. I am optimistic about this, but not as confident as I was a few months ago."
- "Another reason why the aid is held on is that Europe starts slowly to stand up. The Czech Republic started its initiative, and other states joined it. There are many arm-producing factories, but their normal customers are other states from Ukraine. So, they should re-evaluate their normal customers and direct their military products to Ukraine."
- "I was impressed by Macron's statement that European countries should not halt the question about sending troops to Ukraine. Even if he is not going to do this, the statement can restrict russia from some actions. Russia should think before acting that something can cause the intervention of France or other states."
- "It is also interesting to me what is going on with the situation around mobilisation in Ukraine. I think it is not a main problem but a systemic or political one. It doesn't (or it does) make sense to decrease the minimum age for conscription from 27 years. But if people don't want that, does it mean that Ukrainians don't want to fight? But Ukrainians want to fight. Ukraine is a democratic state, there are laws, and laws can be changed. But people have to be confident that they will be properly treated or that they will have the possibility to resign. Soldiers should be confident that they and their families will be able to get medical care and will be properly treated."
- "Ukraine needs more people to make a rotation. A 6-month rotation is good enough to preserve people and power. But it can only be implemented if there are enough people. This is important if Ukraine wants to win the war."
- "It is possible that the US will move to a bilateral agreement with Ukraine, like France, Great Britain and some other states did. It looks like far-looking bilateral cooperation with joint military training before Ukraine becomes a NATO member."
- "Russia's invasion of Ukraine is only a part of a huge geopolitical strategy. Iran, HAMAS, and Houthis are engaged in different conflicts, and China looks on it to understand a possible reaction of the West on China's military actions."
- "In 1942, Roosevelt made his efforts to make Europe resist the Nazis, and W. Churchill decided: 'Germany first', not Japan, not Italy, but Germany has to defeat first. In Casa-Blanca, there was a conference then, and it was firmly decided that Germany had to surrender. No treaties but to defeat the Nazis. So, today something like this has to happen. There has to be a clear goal: Ukraine has to prevail, and Russia has to be defeated. Then China will consider that the West is organised and firm."
- "The reason why Olaf Scholz does not provide Ukraine with Taurus is the pressure in his coalition government. Scholtz is terrified that Trump will become the next US president and that he will turn his back on Europe, leaving it alone."
