White House Promises Another Round Of Aid for Ukraine – At a news briefing on Wednesday, White House national security spokesman John Kirby announced that a new round of military aid for Ukraine is on its way. The White House official said that the announcement could arrive sometime this week.
“There will be announcements of future security assistance in coming days,” Kirby said at a news conference.
The comments come after reports revealed that the White House is considering giving the government’s support for Ukraine an operational name, committing the federal government to the long-term support of Ukraine as Russia continues its assault.
No details were given during Wednesday’s press conference, though it’s likely that the White House is preparing a fresh round of financial support to Ukraine and potentially new commitments to supply weaponry and ammunition.
Long-Term Support
Just eight days earlier, the United States Department of Defense announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $2.98 billion. In a statement last Wednesday, on Ukraine’s 31st anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union, President Joe Biden recommitted his support to Ukraine and said the latest package would “allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, counter-unmanned aerial systems, and radars to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term.”
The latest package was the most significant single round of aid committed by the United States since the beginning of the war. The package also committed the United States to provide weaponry that could take years to arrive.
Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder also issued a statement on the federal government’s continued support for Ukraine, describing how the latest round of aid “underscores the U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine over the long term, representing multi-year investments in critical capabilities to build the enduring strength of Ukraine’s armed forces as it continues to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression.”
US Military M777 Artillery. Ukraine Now Has a Similar System.
While a delay of several years for some of that military equipment to finally arrive in Ukraine may seem inconvenient in the middle of a war, the United States’ approach at this stage is to do more than just provide support for immediate use. The White House, like many European governments, has committed to helping Ukraine modernize its military in the long run. As part of that effort, the United States and Europe will continue to provide NATO-standard equipment and weaponry to replace the aging Soviet-era equipment being used on the battlefield.
It’s a promise that may even extend beyond Ukraine, with the United Kingdom and other NATO forces announcing intentions to supply neighboring Moldova with the same NATO-standard weapons to ensure long-term security in the 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.
