US says Putin seeking to 'take advantage' of Israel-Hamas war
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin testify during a Senate hearing in Washington, DC on October 31, 2023

Washington (AFP) - The United States accused Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday of trying to use the Israel-Hamas war to reduce Western support for Ukraine, which it said requires continued backing from Washington to prevent Russia success. Hamas militants carried out a shock cross-border attack from Gaza this month that Israeli officials say killed more than 1,400 people, prompting Washington to rush military aid to Israel and sparking fears in Kyiv that backing for its war against invading Russian forces could suffer. "Putin is very much trying to take advantage of the Hamas attack on ...