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Why Ukraine needs U.S. funding, and why NATO says that funding is an investment in U.S. security
Ahead of a meeting of NATO defense secretaries in Brussels on Thursday, NATO Secretary General Jans Stoltenberg urged members of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a multi-billion dollar aid package for Ukraine as “an investment in our own security.”
Stoltenberg said if Russia wins the war in Ukraine, the Russian state will be emboldened, as will China.
“If President Putin wins in Ukraine, it will send a message to him but also to other authoritarian leaders that they get what they want when they use military force. It will make the world more dangerous (and) us more vulnerable,” Stoltenberg told the Reuters news agency. “Today it is Ukraine, tomorrow it can be in Taiwan. So, Beijing — China — is watching closely what’s going on in Ukraine.”
Why does Ukraine need more military aid?
Two years into the war sparked by Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine is running out ammunition.
“They’ve gone from firing 7,000 rounds a day to 2,000 rounds a day, which is a pretty significant reduction, at the same time that the Russians have been able to increase their procurement of their own munitions, also buying some from North Korea,” Edward Arnold, a European security research fellow at the British defense think-tank RUSI, told CBS News.
Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu/Getty
Arnold said Ukraine had also lost so many soldiers in the war that it was running out of sufficiently trained personnel, and it doesn’t have enough weapons to keep carrying out many long-range strikes on strategic Russian targets, such as command-and-control centers and ammunition storage facilities.
“As a result, Ukraine this year has just sort of formally announced that they’re moving back to defensive operations, probably for the whole year. Because they lack the offensive potential, because they don’t have enough ammunition,” Arnold said.
What is included in the U.S. aid package for Ukraine?
A funding bill passed by the U.S. Senate on Monday, but not yet picked up by the House of Representatives, includes around $60 billion in additional military aid for Ukraine.
But if and when it is approved, “they don’t just hand over all of the money to Ukraine,” Arnold explained. “They mainly spend it with U.S. defense contractors to buy equipment from them to send to Ukraine. So the vast majority of the money that the U.S. has given to Ukraine has actually gone into the U.S. economy.”
The U.S. has provided a wide range of aid to Ukraine, including American-made weapons systems and military vehicles. Much of that hardware requires specific parts for maintenance and specific ammunition. So the new aid package “matters not just for the amount, which is significant, but it’s also what is provided by the U.S.” to keep equipment already provided running and weapons already provided firing, Arnold said.
“The U.S. has provided a lot of the vehicles that the Ukrainians now use, so they need to be maintained — and with enough ammunition so they can be used effectively. Particularly HIMARS, a long range rocket artillery system. They’re incredibly effective against the Russians, and the Ukrainians aren’t running out of targets, they’re just running out of missiles.”
What do the current shortfalls mean for Russia?
Arnold said Ukraine has been “wholly reliant on Western aid” since about two weeks into the full-scale Russian invasion, which started on Feb. 24, 2022.
“That’s the only thing that’s sustaining them,” he said, adding that the amount of aid Ukraine is currently receiving, primarily from other NATO members in Europe, is not enough to win the war against Russia, but simply to stay in the fight.
“But if that starts to drop further, because, you know, Western policymakers don’t think that this is a viable prospect anymore, then that’s the easiest route to Russian victory,” Arnold said.
Arnold said recent history shows Russia is “an aggressive state, and if they win in Ukraine, they’re going to most likely start to look at other states in Europe, particularly the Baltic states.”
“From an American perspective, through NATO as an alliance, that will draw America into a wider conflict,” he said, referring to the mutual defense clause in the NATO alliance’s founding treaty.
He said Russia’s strategy appeared to be to wait and see if Western support for Ukraine dwindles, and argued that supporting Ukraine now would be a good defense investment for the U.S. in the longer term.
“This is a very, very good chance to destroy the Russian military in the field and destroy its conventional capability for potentially decades,” Arnold told CBS News “And when there’s other challenges that the Americans are concerned about, principally China — annexation of Taiwan — well, if you can reduce the Russians by spending a very, very small percentage of your defense expenditure, then that is very, very much money well spent.”
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
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How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Detroit Lions will face off against the Indianapolis Colts today. The Lions enter this game as top contenders with a near-perfect record of 9-1 so far this season. The Colts, who are 5-6 this season, could have a tough game on their hands against the Lions but will be looking to rack up another win after prevailing over the New York Jets in a tight game last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Colts vs. Lions game today, whether or not you have cable.
Here’s how and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Lions vs. Colts game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Experience NFL action like never before with Fubo’s comprehensive sports streaming platform. From Sunday showdowns to primetime matchups, catch every NFL game across major networks including CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Choose the Pro package to unlock 200+ channels and limitless DVR storage, or elevate your game-day experience with the Elite with Sports Plus package, featuring NFL RedZone’s commercial-free scoring highlights and stunning 4K quality.
Test drive the service with a no-commitment seven-day free trial, and share the excitement with family and friends — Fubo supports simultaneous streaming on up to 10 devices, so everyone can watch their favorite teams.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games, and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.