The United States does not expect Russia to make significant territorial gains in Ukraine in the near-term, a senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday, describing the front lines in the year-long war as a "grinding slog", Reuters has reported.
"You may see small portions of territory change hands in the coming weeks and months. I do not think that there's anything I see that suggests the Russians can sweep across Ukraine and make significant territorial gains anytime in the next year or so," Colin Kahl, the US under secretary of defence for policy, told a House of Representatives hearing.
One of the weapons the U.S. has not provided -- despite public appeals by Ukrainian officials -- are F-16 fighter jets.
Kahl was asked repeatedly by lawmakers about sending the jets to Ukraine.
Biden has ruled out the fighter jets for now and Kahl said it could take 18-24 months to deliver existing F-16s, with new ones taking months longer.
He added that Ukraine wanted the jets but it was not its top priority.
"It is a priority for the Ukrainians, but it is not one of their top three priorities," Kahl said.