The US government announced its first security package for Ukraine in December after it acknowledged that it was running out of replenishment funds. The announcement made it clear that Ukraine is dangerously low on ammunition. However, efforts to provide military aid have stalled in the House because of Republican opposition.
President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has backed military aid since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. However, his presumptive Republican opponent in the November election, Donald Trump, has taken a more isolationist stand.
US National Security Advisor Made the Announcement on Behalf of Joe Biden
The US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, announced on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, that the US would provide Ukraine a small package of emergency military aid, bypassing Congress after its more permanent plans to assist Kyiv have stalled for several months.
“Today, on behalf of President Biden,” Sullivan told reporters. “I’m announcing an emergency package of security assistance and $300 million worth of weapons and equipment to address some of Ukraine’s pressing needs.”
“The world is watching. The clock is ticking, and we need to see action as rapidly as possible,” he added. Sullivan said the package included artillery ammunition, which Ukraine needed the most. “This ammunition will keep Ukraine’s guns firing for a period, but only a short period,” Sullivan told reporters.
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The €275 Million Military Aid Was Drawn From Pentagon Contract Savings
Ukraine has been reportedly running dangerously low on ammunition, and efforts to get fresh funds for weapons stalled in the House because of fierce Republican opposition. Nevertheless, the Pentagon announced its first security package for Ukraine.
Senior defense officials told reporters that the Pentagon got cost savings in some of those longer-term contracts. However, given the battlefield situation, they decided to use those savings to send more weapons.
Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Pat Ryder told reporters, “This is not a sustainable way to support Ukraine.” Ryder called it a “one-time good deal” that can’t continue. The military aid announcement came after Polish leaders visited Washington to press the US to break its impasse over funds for Ukraine at a critical moment in the war.
Joe Biden Meets Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda
President Joe Biden met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda at the White House on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. During his meeting with the Polish leaders, the US president said the emergency aid package was “not enough for Ukraine.”
On the other hand, Duda called on all NATO members to increase their defense spending to 3%, as opposed to the current 2% target that not all members meet. Notably, Poland and the US both exceed the target. Official figures put US defense spending at roughly 3% of GDP, whereas NATO’s estimates for Poland are near 4%.
The Actual $60 Billion Package for 2024 Deadlocked in Congress
President Joe Biden’s administration repeatedly appealed to Congress to approve its plans for military aid for Ukraine in 2024. According to reports, the proposed package is worth roughly $60 billion.
However, the proposal has been condemned by the Republican-majority House of Representatives since the plans for the 2024 budget were presented late last year.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Trump ally, has so far refused to call a vote on a bill that would provide the $60 billion military aid for Ukraine. However, the Senate’s most senior Republican, Mitch McConnell, said on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, that he wanted to “encourage the speaker again to allow a vote.”
The funds also include US military assistance planned for Israel and Taiwan in 2024, which accounts for roughly $35 billion more.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy Speaks on Crucial Need for Military Aid
On Monday, March 11, 2024, the Ukrainian President said that the situation along the front of the country’s war with Russia was the best in three months, with Moscow’s troops no longer advancing after their capture last month of the eastern city of Avdiivka.
In an interview, Zelenskiy said Ukraine had improved its strategic position despite weapon shortages. He further said the situation could change if military aid is not forthcoming. Zelenskiy also noted that Russia is preparing a new offensive against Ukraine starting in late May or summer.
Furthermore, he noted that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died since the war began in February 2022.
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