On Tuesday, the U.S. and its European allies came together to talk about guns. Lots of guns. And how they are going to provide them to Ukraine.
A Rare Conference
The U.S. hosted a security conference in Germany with dozens of NATO allies and partners in attendance. The defense secretaries and top military officials from each country discussed how they could further support Ukraine with security aid.
More and more countries are contributing to the Ukrainian war effort.
“That’s important progress. We’re seeing more every day. I applaud all of the countries that have risen and are rising to meet this demand. But we don’t have any time to waste. The briefings today laid out clearly why the coming weeks will be so crucial for Ukraine, so we’ve got to move at the speed of war. And I know that all the leaders leave today more resolved than ever to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and atrocities,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said.
A few days ago, the war in Ukraine entered its second month. Although there is no immediate danger to the Ukrainian government and the capital of Kyiv anymore, Ukraine isn’t out of the woods yet.
The Russian military has launched a renewed offensive in the east of the country, trying to achieve some gains in a war that has gone horribly wrong. So, the more anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft weapons, and heavy weapons the Ukrainian military can get its hands on, the better.
“That’s important progress. We’re seeing more every day. I applaud all of the countries that have risen and are rising to meet this demand. But we don’t have any time to waste. The briefings today laid out clearly why the coming weeks will be so crucial for Ukraine, so we’ve got to move at the speed of war. And I know that all the leaders leave today more resolved than ever to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and atrocities,” Austin said.
Germany, long opposed to sending heavy weapons—or indeed any weapons to Ukraine—seems like it might be finally contributing to the Ukrainian defenses by sending 50 Cheetah anti-aircraft vehicles. The British military is also sending a small number of Stormer anti-aircraft vehicles to bolster the Ukrainian short-range air defenses.
“Nobody is fooled by Putin’s pretexts or by his phony claims on the Donbas. Let’s be clear — Russia’s invasion is indefensible, and so are Russian atrocities. We all start today from a position of moral clarity: Russia is waging a war of choice to indulge the ambitions of one man,” the U.S. secretary of defense said.
“Russia’s invasion is baseless, reckless and lawless. It is an affront to the rules-based international order. It is a challenge to free people everywhere. And, as we see this morning, nations of goodwill from around the world stand united in our resolve to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s imperial aggression. And that’s the way it should be,” Austin added.
Stormer vehicle firing a Starstreak High Velocity Missile (HVM)
Billions in Military Aid
Since the Russian invasion started on February 24, the U.S. has sent approximately $3.7 billion worth of weapons to Ukraine. In addition, in the last two years, the U.S. has sent Kyiv a total of approximately $4 billion in security assistance. In total, Ukraine has received more than $5 billion in military assistance from over 30 countries since the war began.
The U.S. alone has sent three $800 military aid packages in the past few weeks, with the latest package of security aid including dozens of M-777 155mm Howitzers and hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds to aid the Ukrainian defenses in the east.
On Friday, Canada joined France in announcing the delivery of heavy artillery to Ukraine.
Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, fire a M777 towed 155 mm Howitzer on Qayyarah West Airfield, Iraq, Aug. 10, 2019. The Soldiers conducted a fire mission to disrupt known enemy positions. As long as Daesh presents a threat, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve remains committed to enabling its defeat. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Spc. DeAndre Pierce)
A Soldier conducts registration and calibration for the M777A2 howitzer weapon system in Syria, Sept. 30, 2021. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Isaiah J Scott
1945’s New Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
