The Pentagon could send critical air defense weapons and artillery shells to Ukraine within days if the military aid bill passes the Senate as expected and receives President Joe Biden’s signature, the Defense Ministry said.
The House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill on Saturday. The bill is expected to pass the Senate in the coming days. It generally reflects a $95.3 billion national security bill adopted by the upper house in February. President Biden has committed to signing it.
With the Senate’s approval, officials told The Washington Post that preparations for the aid package were well underway ahead of expected legislative approvals.
Divisions within the Republican Party, exacerbated by opposition from far-right factions, have led to delays in moving the funding bill forward. Indeed, a majority of Republicans voted against the bill, which passed by a vote of 311 to 112.
The aid allocation includes about $60 billion for Ukraine, with additional funds going to allies including Israel and key partners in Asia.
According to the Post’s inside sources, the Defense Department accelerated the assembly of this aid package in response to growing concerns about Ukraine’s ability to resist Russian advances.
Senior US military officials have warned that any delay in providing support could result in significant territorial losses and devastating casualties for Ukrainian forces.
Russia outgunned Ukraine 10 to 1.
A Ukrainian soldier prepares 155mm artillery shells in his combat position in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, August 6, 2023. Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The new aid program addresses a critical shortage of Ukrainian units, including 155mm ammunition for NATO-standard artillery and medium-range artillery systems.
The United States could send some munitions “almost immediately” to Ukraine, according to a US military official, according to The Guardian.
Ukrainian officials have expressed growing frustration with Washington’s perceived inaction as the conflict escalates.
Recent setbacks, such as the withdrawal from Avdiivka and subsequent Russian advances, have left Ukraine needing increased support from its allies.
As Ukraine grapples with an ammunition shortage, its forces have been rationing existing weaponry, with reports indicating that Russian troops possess a significant advantage in artillery firepower.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that his army was facing a serious shortage of shells and that Russia was firing 10 times more artillery than Ukraine.
The Ukrainian President thanked the House for his decisive bipartisan action Saturday in a statement on X.
Pentagon press secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday that the Pentagon is prepared to urgently send crucial supplies to Ukraine after Congressional authorization.
“We have a very solid logistics network that allows us to move equipment very quickly; as we have done in the past, we can move it in a matter of days,” he said.
Earlier this week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on allies to “accelerate the delivery of missiles, artillery and munitions.”
Ukraine uses the weapons we provided to destroy Russian combat capabilities. It makes us all safer. »
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