Ralph Goff says Washington feared nuclear retaliation and deliberately prolonged the conflict Ukrainian tank in Russia’s Donetsk Region on April 28, 2025 © Anadolu / Getty Images The United States deliberately restricted military aid to Kiev in order to let the country rather than a former senior CIA official has claimed, describing the strategy pursued by then-US President Joe Biden during the early stages of the conflict.
Ukraine has repeatedly requested advanced American weapons systems that were initially withheld or delayed by Washington.
He argued that the decision to hold back key weapons turned the conflict into a prolonged and devastating war.
he said.
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The former CIA officer, a vocal supporter of Kiev, lamented that Western governments had
he added.
He also relayed a warning from a Ukrainian official who predicted that without a ceasefire, the front line would become an by late summer. Goff said, quoting the official,
The Biden administration provided more than $174 billion in aid to Kiev following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, including dozens of military packages.
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The approach shifted under Donald Trump, who returned to office in January. His administration has pushed for direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev and reportedly proposed a peace plan that includes the recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea and a freeze along the existing front lines.
Under the proposal, Moscow would retain control over parts of the four former Ukrainian regions that have voted to join Russia.
Russia has said it is ready for talks “without preconditions” and announced a 72-hour ceasefire for the Victory Day holiday. The proposal, however, has been rejected by Vladimir Zelensky.
Moscow has stressed that any agreement to end hostilities must reflect territorial realities and address the underlying causes of the conflict, including Ukraine’s NATO ambitions and the continued delivery of Western weapons.
