New military package for Ukraine
Biden apologizes to Zelensky for delivery pause
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For months, a domestic political blockade by Republicans in the US parliament brought the delivery of weapons to Kyiv to a standstill. This had consequences on the battlefield. Biden is now apologizing for this – and is sending fresh ammunition to Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden has apologized to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for the months-long halt in arms deliveries from the USA. He asked for forgiveness for the long uncertainty about further aid, Biden said at a meeting with Zelensky in Paris. Both are currently in France for visits lasting several days. Biden announced a new military package for Kyiv worth 225 million dollars (around 208 million euros) and assured Zelensky that America would “not let Ukraine down.”
Referring to the long domestic blockade of US financial aid to Kyiv, Biden said that some “very conservative” MPs had blocked it in parliament. But the problem has now been solved. Ukraine is a “bulwark” against Russian aggression and the US has an obligation to support Kyiv. “I assure you, the United States will stand by your side,” he stressed. “We are fully committed.”
Russia invaded Ukraine at the end of February 2022 and has been waging a large-scale war of aggression against its neighboring country ever since. The United States is Kyiv's most important ally and largest arms supplier. According to the Pentagon, the United States has provided or pledged more than $51 billion in military aid to Ukraine since the war began.
Catching up after the delivery break
At the beginning of the year, however, American arms deliveries came to a standstill for several months due to a domestic political blockade in the USA – Republicans from the right wing of the party had opposed the aid in the US parliament. As a result, Ukraine suffered several setbacks on the battlefield. The US Congress has now approved a new billion-euro budget for aid to Ukraine and since the end of April, deliveries of weapons and ammunition from the USA have again been going to Kiev. Since then, the Ukrainian armed forces have been trying to catch up where they had fallen behind in recent months due to a lack of ammunition.
According to the US Department of Defense, the new military package that Biden announced in Paris includes, among other things, missiles for Hawk air defense systems, ammunition for the HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, as well as Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and artillery ammunition with calibers of 155 and 105 millimeters. The US is currently primarily trying to strengthen Ukraine's air defense and quickly supply the country with new ammunition after the delivery pause. The funds from this package, as well as many others, come from the US military's own stocks in order to speed up delivery.
Biden praises defense of Kharkiv
At the meeting with Zelensky, Biden repeatedly praised the courage and fighting spirit of the Ukrainians. The way they recently defended Kharkiv showed once again that the Ukrainian people cannot be overrun. In May, the Russian military – mostly from positions on its own territory – launched an attack on Ukraine's second largest city, which lies close to the border with Russia.
In view of the significant attack, the US government recently changed course and allowed the Ukrainian armed forces to use American weapons on a limited scale against targets on Russian territory – but only for counterattacks in defense of Kharkiv. Zelenskyj said with regard to the situation in the Kharkiv region, the US decisions had had a “positive effect.” He did not want to speak publicly about the details, but there were some details about the situation on the battlefield that he wanted to discuss with the US president.
Moral support for Ukrainians
The Ukrainian president thanked Biden for the “significant” help from the USA. Kyiv is counting on the continued support of the United States. “It is so important for the spirit of our people that we are not alone,” said Zelensky. He compared the US support for Ukraine with America's efforts in World War II, when the Americans helped save lives in Europe.
Both Biden and Zelenskyy took part in commemorations of the Allied landings in Normandy in World War II on Thursday. 80 years ago, on June 6, 1944, Allied soldiers landed on the beaches of Normandy. D-Day marked the beginning of the liberation of France and Western Europe from Nazi rule.
