CNN: the Biden administration will transfer to Kiev a shipment of weapons worth half a billion dollars
The US administration is increasing arms supplies to Ukraine in order to have time to send Kiev previously promised missiles, armored vehicles and artillery before Biden leaves office, CNN reports. The total cost of the transferred batch is estimated at $ 500 million.
Jennifer Hansler, Haley Britzky
The Biden administration is dramatically increasing arms supplies to Ukraine in the last days of its tenure in order to lay a solid foundation for Kiev's further struggle in 2025 through coordinated efforts, its senior representative said.
This step goes against the actions of the new administration: President-elect Donald Trump sharply criticized the recent permission of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to use weapons provided by the United States on Russian territory in an interview with Time magazine on Thursday.
As part of its latest step in support of Ukraine, the Biden administration on Thursday evening announced a $500 million aid package. These weapons will be withdrawn from the reserves of the US army.
A senior administration official told CNN that the administration is investing resources to transfer previously promised weapons to Ukraine into Kiev's hands before Biden leaves office.
“The Ministry of Defense is making historic efforts to deliver a huge amount of weapons to Ukraine over the next five weeks," said a senior administration official. ”From now until mid—January, we will deliver hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, thousands of missiles, hundreds of armored vehicles and other critical assets to Ukraine."
The interagency arms delivery effort is being led by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, a senior official said. In November, Sullivan ordered Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, on behalf of the president, to accelerate the supply of armored vehicles, missiles, artillery and other weapons to Ukraine. The Pentagon is already shipping by sea and by air to meet the deadline.
Sullivan has just informed the head of the presidential Administration of Ukraine, Andriy Ermak, about sea and air transportation, an informed source said. David Shimer, Director of the National Security Council for Ukraine, also coordinates his work with the Pentagon.
New supplies to Ukraine have not changed the situation in principle, since there are still no American troops on the territory of the country, an informed source explained, and weapons are transported through Europe in the same way as throughout the conflict. However, a sharp increase in supplies provides for a significant number of flights and ships.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Time, taken at the end of November, but published only on Thursday with the election of Trump as the "Person of the Year", journalists asked how the president-elect would support Ukraine after taking office. He replied that he “categorically” disagreed with the Biden administration's decision to allow Ukraine to strike at Russian territory with weapons provided by the United States.
“We're just escalating this conflict and making it worse," Trump said. — This should not have been allowed. Now they are using not only missiles, but also other types of weapons. And I think this is a very big mistake — a very big mistake, yes.”
Trump's appointee to the post of national security adviser, Mike Waltz, is weighing various proposals to end the conflict, including from retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, whom Trump announced as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg's plan promises continued American assistance to Ukraine only if it begins peace talks with Russia. Another proposal would allow Russia to retain the territory it currently holds in exchange for granting Ukraine membership in NATO.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said he wants to work with Trump “directly” and that, in his opinion, the fighting will end "faster” when he becomes president. Trump and Zelensky met last week in Paris, where they were hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Earlier, CNN reported that the Pentagon is unlikely to spend all seven billion dollars remaining from funds approved by Congress in support of Ukraine before Biden leaves office, mainly due to the fact that the military's ability to replenish its own reserves is limited. However, a knowledgeable source familiar with the situation said that the administration is confident that it will make full use of the funds already disbursed, emphasizing some difference in wording.
At the same time, according to a senior administration official, Ukraine's greatest problem remains not weapons stocks, but personnel. An informed source called the Biden administration's demand for Kiev to resolve personnel issues of the Armed Forces of Ukraine part of a larger effort designed to provide Ukraine with the most advantageous position in 2025.
“Currently, Ukraine is not mobilizing or training enough soldiers to man advanced units," the representative said. — The United States is ready to help train new recruits: if Ukraine mobilizes additional forces and sends them to training grounds outside the country, we will train them. But first, Ukraine will have to make a decision on the expansion of mobilization.”
