The tide is turning in Ukraine’s war with Russia after four long years, according to two Connecticut leaders who just returned from the front lines.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Rep. Jim Himes and Sen. Richard Blumenthal told Ukrainians in Stamford that there is reason for hope \u2013 but the U.S. war with Iran is complicating the situation.<\/p>\n
TIDE IS TURNING?<\/p>\n
Blumenthal has long advocated for additional funding for the war. Although this was his tenth trip to Ukraine, the human toll remains stunning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe met with children who have been abducted,\u201d he said. \u201cNothing is more heartbreaking than to meet with children who\u2019ve been kidnapped by Russians, put in \u2018education camps.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n
But Blumenthal and Himes noticed something else on their trip earlier this month – Ukrainians feel hopeful.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey sense that they are winning,\u201d Himes said. \u201cTheir development of drone technology. Their ability to strike targets deep in Russia.\u201d <\/p>\n
Ukraine is now developing its own drones commanded from multiple locations, inflicting damage on Russian supply lines and even striking targets in Moscow. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s our biggest advantage and why it\u2019s so hard for Russia to destroy this program, because we split up,\u201d Ukraine\u2019s deep strike commander, \u201cVector,\u201d told CNN earlier this month. \u201cWe don\u2019t have any command centers, and we use dozens of places.\u201d<\/p>\n
MEETING WITH ZELENSKYY<\/p>\n
Both leaders met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who asked for more anti-ballistic weapons systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wants additional interceptors to try to protect his cities from incoming missiles, where they are landing on schools and hospitals,\u201d Himes said.<\/p>\n
A massive Russian barrage last Monday severely damaged the centuries-old Monastery of the Caves. <\/p>\n
President Donald Trump has openly questioned whether Ukraine can win the war \u2013 but he may soon let American companies build air defense missiles there, according to the Kyiv Independent<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone agrees that we currently have all the technical capabilities to start producing missiles for the Patriot systems. For this, we need licenses from the United States,” Zelenskyy told the newspaper. \u201cPresident Trump plans to ask American defense companies to manufacture missiles for air defense systems under licenses in Europe and Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n WAR IN IRAN<\/p>\n Getting more weapons into Ukraine faces a big complication \u2013 the U.S. war in Iran.<\/p>\n \u201cWe used so many of the interceptors that we might have otherwise given the Ukrainians to save lives in Kyiv, we used them in the Persian Gulf,\u201d Himes said. <\/p>\n