Sources close to discussions between the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada said on Tuesday that the three countries have pledged to send more heavy artillery to Ukraine to help the country defend against the Russian military offensive in the eastern region of the country.
Discussions took place over a 90-minute secure video call this week as Russian aggression exploded in the contested Donbas region, where Russian President Vladimir Putin claims to be “liberating” ethnic Russians and pro-Kremlin separatists.
Announcing the plans, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the House of Commons this week that Ukraine needs more heavy artillery to fend off Russia’s renewed efforts in Donbas.
“This will become an artillery conflict, they need support with more artillery, that is what we will be giving them,” Johnson said. “In addition to many other forms of support.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also told reporters aboard Air Force One that the United States intends to continue providing security commitments and economic and humanitarian assistance for as long as the conflict continues.
“We will continue to provide them more ammunition, as we will provide them more military assistance,” Psaki said, adding that the U.S. is also set to reveal a new set of sanctions against Russia.
Another $800 Million Package On the Way
The news comes as President Joe Biden reportedly prepares to announce yet another $800 million aid package for Ukraine, according to multiple sources familiar with the White House’s plans.
One unnamed aid said on Tuesday that the new aid package could be approved within 36 hours.
The urgency of the new package cannot be understated, with Russian forces facing multiple logistical problems on the ground, from food and fuel shortages to a dwindling number of troops.
With the right weapons and supplies, Ukraine has an opportunity to push back against Russians in the east – but U.S. defense officials believe that Russia is preparing to escalate the attack in the coming weeks.
“We think these offensives are preludes to larger offensive operations that the Russians plant to conduct,” one U.S. Defense official told CNBC on the condition of anonymity on Tuesday.
What Counts As Heavy Artillery?
The term “heavy artillery” refers to a range of large military weapons designed to inflict more damage than traditional firearms. Heavy artillery includes self-propelled artillery vehicles like the Howitzers that have been delivered in large quantities over the last two months by the United States and NATO allies.
Some 50 million rounds of ammunition have been provided to Ukraine by the United States alone, but with Ukrainian troops using tens of thousands of rounds every single day, Ukraine needs a continual supply of rounds to effectively fend off Russian forces in the East. That is especially true now that Russian forces have regrouped in the eastern regions of the country, focusing more of their resources on the Donbas region.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
