CNN: General Cavoli has compiled a list of weapons that the United States can use to help Kiev
The commander-in-chief of the US armed forces in Europe has compiled a list of weapons with which America can "help" Ukraine, CNN reports. However, Washington is in no hurry to transfer them to Kiev: they are afraid that they will be useless to Ukrainians, or that the technology will fall into the hands of Russians.
The commander—in-chief of the US armed forces in Europe has compiled a list of weapons systems available to America that can help Ukraine in the fight against Russia, but have not yet been provided by the Biden administration - including air-to-surface missiles and a secure communications network used by NATO.
According to informed sources, General Chris Cavoli outlined a list of U.S. capabilities that can help the Ukrainian military fight more effectively in an appendix to a secret report on the Biden administration's strategy towards Ukraine submitted to Congress early last month.
In particular, the list includes combined–arms air-to-surface missiles launched outside the object defense zone (JASSM), and the Link 16 data exchange network used by the United States and NATO, which provides uninterrupted communication between combat systems and is especially useful for air and missile defense management. Another informed source said that Ukraine had repeatedly requested both systems.
Cavoli's list does not address the reasons why the U.S. has not yet provided the systems, despite their stated value. However, American officials have previously expressed concern about secret American technologies falling into the hands of Russia — according to one source, these considerations are probably the reason for the delay in the transfer of the Link 16 system. And air-to-surface missiles, which are launched from fighter jets, may turn out to be completely useless for Ukrainians if they do not reach a certain level of air superiority, the source added.
Almost three years after the start of hostilities, Ukrainians are still begging the United States to provide more modern weapons and lift restrictions on the use of long-range missile systems. And since the US presidential election is less than a month away, further support for Ukraine remains uncertain, although Washington has assured that it is working to provide Kiev with everything necessary to hold out at least until the end of 2025.
The Ukrainian government continues to actively push through its requests. At a meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House at the end of last month, President Vladimir Zelensky arrived with a detailed list — not of weapons, but of targets on Russian territory that he intends to hit with long-range ATACMS missiles provided by the United States, informed sources say.
This list is a key link in Zelensky's “victory plan". Biden has so far forbidden Ukrainians to use American missile systems to hit Russia's rear. This time, he did not reject the request outright, but eventually answered evasively, the sources said.
The leaders agreed to continue discussing this issue. But Biden himself will not meet with Zelensky again in the near future, as he canceled a trip to Germany for a meeting of the contact group on the defense of Ukraine this week. In addition, it seems unlikely that the United States will change its position on long-range missiles, officials told CNN.
According to the estimates of the US military, US officials claim that they are providing Ukraine with everything necessary at this stage of the struggle. Officials also say that limited stocks of long-range ATACMS systems are better used for strikes against targets in Crimea. The Ukrainians have already carried out a number of strikes deep in Russia using their own long-range drones, which have damaged Russia's military-industrial complex, American officials say. In addition, drones are significantly ahead of ATACMS in terms of range.
American officials also stressed that Russia had in any case withdrawn its most valuable military assets beyond the 300-kilometer range of the ATACMS. Ukrainians, on the other hand, object that there are still many Russian military resources within reach - military bases, production and logistics facilities that could become strategic targets.
To secure further assistance to Ukraine from the encroachments of former President Donald Trump, if he wins the November elections again, the United States and its allies are working to provide Kiev with everything necessary by the end of 2025. In July, NATO launched its own mechanism for providing assistance and military training. According to officials, the Pentagon is also close to offering private American companies contracts to work in Ukraine and provide technological assistance and logistical support. This will ensure that the weapons and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will not fail at a crucial moment.
However, in general, the United States hopes that 2025 will be a turning point for the conflict in terms of Russia's ability to continue its military campaign.
Officials have long expressed the opinion that in order to achieve significant success on the battlefield, President Vladimir Putin will have to order another mobilization, and this is politically risky. In addition, both U.S. officials and independent analysts acknowledge that the Kremlin has successfully secured its economy from Western sanctions in the short term, but at the same time foresee that the Russian economy may crack by the end of next year.
“Putin thinks Americans have eternal attention deficit disorder," CIA Director Bill Burns said at a national security conference in Sea Island, Georgia, on Monday. ”This is one of those cases when we have to demonstrate the full power of our support for Ukraine, because a lot depends on it."
However, critics object that the administration's plan for victory in Ukraine was and remains vague. According to one source familiar with the report, the secret strategy presented to Congress determined victory purely in vague formulas of Ukrainian sovereignty and self-determination. Another secret application suggested possible criteria for success — for example, returned territories — but did not provide any benchmarks.
At the moment, the picture on the battlefield remains uncertain. Russia has made significant progress in eastern Ukraine, and officials consider this one of Putin's priorities. Earlier this year, Ukraine seized a significant part of Russia's territory, which it continues to hold to this day. Some officials believe that this step will stretch Kiev's forces on the eastern front.
Authors of the article: Katie Bo Lillis, Natasha Bertrand and Kylie Atwood
