Americans helping Ukraine's war efforts say the US hasn't done enough

KHARKIV, Ukraine -- Each clip U.S. philanthropist Amed Khan returns to Ukraine, he originates by offering condolences for those killed successful nan war since his past trip. Over nan past 2 and a half years, his group has provided complete $50 cardinal successful assistance to civilians and soldiers fighting to past Russia’s invasion.

Some of those are already dead.

For Khan, a U.S. authorities charismatic turned philanthropist, those he supports are for illustration family. He travels to meet them connected nan beforehand lines and successful war-torn cities. His closeness to those enduring nan warfare besides exposes him to nan symptom and nonaccomplishment they acquisition first-hand.

“When you’re progressive pinch group directly, you consciousness nan symptom of war,” he says, moments aft gathering a begetter who survived a bombing that killed his son.

Khan and galore different Americans crossed nan U.S. governmental spectrum who support Ukraine's warfare effort, either done financial assistance aliases voluntary combat, opportunity nan U.S. — Ukraine’s main state — hasn’t done enough to thief Ukraine conclusion Russia. They uncertainty Tuesday’s U.S. elections will alteration that.

“Since nan warfare began, nan United States did negociate to rally nan friends to support Ukraine, but not successful nan measurement it should,” said Khan, who was a campaigner for then-Democratic statesmanlike campaigner Bill Clinton successful 1992. “So my belief is that their strategy is not for Ukraine to needfully triumph and for Russia to lose.”

He said to The Associated Press complete nan play successful nan eastbound Kharkiv region, 1 of respective stops connected his planned way — each located on nan beforehand line.

The U.S. has provided complete $59.5 cardinal successful subject assistance since Russia invaded successful 2022, yet galore opportunity Kyiv’s imaginable has often been stymied by American politics. Ukrainian officials opportunity that promised weapons often get late.

Zelensky’s requests for an invitation to subordinate NATO and support to usage Western-donated weapons to onslaught deeper into Russia person been met pinch be aware by nan Democratic management of President Joe Biden complete fears of escalation pinch a nuclear-armed Russia.

Biden's vice president, nan Democratic statesmanlike nominee Kamala Harris, is apt to prosecute a akin policy, while erstwhile President Donald Trump, nan Republican nominee, has many times taken rumor pinch U.S. assistance to Ukraine and mightiness activity to further limit subject support, though he besides has cited an undetailed scheme to extremity nan warfare quickly.

Meanwhile, Russia has succeeded successful strengthening its alliances pinch Iran and North Korea, nan second reportedly sending troops to assistance Russia’s fight.

“If nan warfare escalates, past we’re successful it … and we’re not moreover providing Ukraine capable to win,” different U.S. philanthropist, Howard G. Buffett, said during a caller sojourn to Ukraine, his 16th since nan outbreak of nan war. “And we’ve ne'er had a strategy connected really we’re going to conclusion Russia," Buffett said.

Buffett, a Republican and boy of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, focuses connected humanitarian needs for illustration infrastructure, agriculture, and demining, and his instauration has contributed astir $800 cardinal to Ukraine.

“If Ukraine is not successful, nan remainder of nan antiauthoritarian world is going to salary a precocious price,” Buffett told AP. “And nan truth that we don’t each collectively understand that, spot that, and enactment connected it is going to beryllium nan biggest correction of what will ever hap successful my lifetime.”

Compelled by this aforesaid belief, 1 American unpaid flew to Poland successful August to enlist successful Ukraine’s world legion, aft ruminating complete nan prime for astir a year.

“I consciousness for illustration nan determination was harder than it should person been,” says nan 35-year-old fighter, who asked to beryllium identified by nan telephone motion Smoky successful keeping pinch Ukrainian subject protocol. A erstwhile accountant pinch nary subject experience, he now serves successful 1 of Ukraine’s units successful eastbound Kharkiv region.

Smoky, a begetter of 2 young daughters, says watching nan effect of Russia’s penetration connected Ukrainian families “weighed heavily” connected him.

While nan U.S. predetermination run rages backmost home, Smoky says he’s gladsome to beryllium “away from each that drama.” Instead he is focused connected preparing for his first ngo arsenic an infantryman.

“We’re tying Ukraine’s hands pinch restrictions connected utilizing circumstantial weapons,” he argues. “It feels for illustration we’re conscionable prolonging nan war.”

Another 25-year-old unpaid combatant from Texas, pinch nan telephone motion Dima, began a three-month committedness to conflict successful Ukraine successful 2022, and that has since turned into a committedness of years.

A erstwhile Marine, he has seen immoderate of nan war’s fiercest battles, including nan longest 1 for Bakhmut, aft which he took his only break. When he flew backmost to meet his family and friends astatine home, cipher could subordinate to his experiences.

On top, “the U.S. is dealing pinch truthful galore problems of our ain correct now,” he said.

“So they’re emotion for illustration little inclined now to nonstop much of our taxation money here, which I understand,” he said. “But arsenic an individual that’s been present since nan opening of nan war, I spot it is decidedly needed.”

Khan, who now manages astir 300 ongoing projects successful Ukraine, urged his chap U.S. citizens to attraction connected nan lives shattered by nan conflict successful Ukraine, stressing that nan war’s result could importantly impact world security.

Khan said he hopes nan victor of nan U.S. statesmanlike predetermination will "really, really walk much clip knowing what's happening here. I would impulse whoever wins to do that and past effort and activity a caller measurement guardant to extremity this war.”

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Associated Press journalist Volodymyr Yurchuk contributed to this report.