The administration of the current US President Joe Biden intends to transfer the remaining weapons in the current plans to Ukraine as soon as possible before the inauguration of Donald Trump, who won the election on November 5. About this reports The Wall Street Journal Saturday.
More than $7 billion allocated to the Pentagon for the transfer of weapons and ammunition to Kyiv remains unspent, as well as more than $2 billion for long-term contracts for the supply of equipment.
Pentagon officials note that before the elections, the remaining aid was expected to be delivered to Ukraine by April, but now the dates have moved – all must delivery to be ready by January. According to officials, this will strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and improve its position in possible negotiations with Russia. At the same time, according to the newspaper, there are serious logistical problems facing the implementation of these plans and raising officials’ concerns about reducing America’s own defense capability.
In response to an increase in Russian drone and missile attacks, the United States is sending more than 500 interceptors to Ukraine for the Patriot missile defense system and the NASAMS advanced surface-to-air missile system, according to a senior administration official. They are expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
According to one of the American officials, these materials should meet the air defense needs of Ukraine by the end of the year, WSJ reports.
The United States is also considering the possibility of buying American-made weapons from other countries for later transfer to Ukraine, a senior American official said.
The rush to deliver supplies reflects US officials’ concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s promises to end the war quickly, possibly through concessions. Despite the fact that Trump has not yet presented a specific plan to resolve the conflict, the Biden administration fears that the new administration could reduce the supply of weapons to Ukraine in order to push Kyiv to peace talks, writes WSJ.
Earlier, the United States announced plans to send contractors to Ukraine to help repair and maintain F-16 fighter jets and other weapons systems. In August, President Joe Biden ruled out the possibility of such a measure, but the lack of qualified experts and related equipment malfunction made officials reconsider their decision, WSJ wrote
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2024-11-09 20:02:00
