WASHINGTON — Since the day Russia invaded Ukraine nearly 14 months ago, President Joe Biden has cited the strength of the widespread international commitment to the mission of defending an independent democracy against a brutal aggressor.
But newly leaked secret U.S. government documents provide details of how some close non-European allies have been reluctant to provide arms to Ukraine, and in the case of Egypt, even considered supplying rockets to Russia, because of competing interests and concerns.
In particular, three U.S. allies who are among the largest recipients of U.S. financial or other aid and assistance — Israel, Egypt and South Korea — had to be aggressively lobbied by U.S. officials to join efforts to help Ukraine, with spotty results.
