This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge. 

Former Pentagon official Michael Maloof is predicting that Congress and the Pentagon are in for a “tumultuous” start of 2024, as the ongoing standoff over Biden’s billions more in Ukraine defense aid highlights the reality that there’s “no stomach” any longer to fund Ukraine.

The ex-senior security policy analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense issued the words in a fresh interview with Russian media, wherein he also emphasized that the only way out for Kiev is through negotiations based on the current dire realities of the battlefield, which has seen setback after setback for Ukraine forces.

Source: WaPo/Getty Images

This dire state of things has also been seen in the increasingly gloomy and negative coverage of Ukraine on the part of major mainstream media. For example the NY Times ran this surprising headline over the weekend: ‘People Snatchers’: Ukraine’s Recruiters Use Harsh Tactics to Fill Ranks. Weeks prior, in early December, the same publication issued this headline: U.S. and Ukraine Search for a New Strategy After Failed Counteroffensive.

Maloof issued his own even more pessimistic assessment, painting a picture of a domino effect spilling over into the halls of a tense and divided Congress which must belatedly acknowledge “the war is over”.

According to Maloof’s assessment in the interview:

“The United States has their appropriations hung up. The US government could shut down by January 17 if the administration and Congress can’t negotiate and work out an arrangement for funding Ukraine and Israel, but at the same time to enforce the border. I think the Republicans to date have held firm, and we’ll see if they’ll hold on. But there’s no stomach right now any longer to fund the Ukrainians.

Frankly, the people see that the war is over. Basically, the [Ukrainian] counteroffensive failed, and there’s no way that they can pick it back up and turn things around, because they’ve gone into total defensive mode. The so-called counteroffensive just does not exist,” said Maloof.

This is a moment long past due where the American people and their leadership are being forced to put America first given the NATO’ization of Ukraine project has failed.

“We have got to worry about our whether our government is even going to be open for business,” he continued, and added: “there is a second tranche in February that would shut down as well if they have not reached a resolution on funding the government agencies the way the House has dictated.”

American public support for funding Ukraine amid the Russian invasion was already slipping as early as last summer…

And looming heavily in the background is the unpredictability of other global flashpoints which threaten to stretch US forces and resources thin. Speaking of Israel’s escalatory policies in Gaza, Maloof said, “I guess he [Benjamin Netanyahu] thinks he can go ahead and start raising all kinds of havoc not only with Iran but also with Hezbollah up north. So are we going to help fund all of that?“

“I mean, that’s the big question. And I don’t think there’s any stomach for that, considering that, you know, we are entering an election year,” emphasized Maloof again.