President Biden announces $700 million arms package for Ukraine

A highly mobile artillery rocket system (HIMARS) Lockheed Martin screen capture

Reuters reported US President Joe Biden on June 1, announced to send a new weapons package worth 700 million USD to Ukraineincluding highly mobile artillery rocket systems (HIMARS).

“The United States will stand with our Ukrainian partners and continue to provide Ukraine with weapons and equipment to defend itself,” Biden said.

“Thank you allies. Let’s defeat Russia together,” said Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskywrote on Twitter shortly after Mr Biden’s statement.

President Biden announced plans to supply Ukraine with HIMARS missile systems after being assured by Kyiv that they would not use them to attack targets inside Russia. This condition was introduced by Mr. Biden to try to avoid an escalation of the Ukraine conflict.

“Ukraine has assured us that it will not use these systems against targets in its territory. Russia“, said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

A senior Defense Department official said the US will send four HIMARS systems to Ukraine in advance. The official added that it will take about three weeks to train Ukrainian forces on how to use the new system.

In an article published in the newspaper The New York Times On May 31, President Biden said the new weapons package would help Ukraine on the battlefield “and in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table”.

Ukraine wants to be supplied with multiple rocket launchers (MLRSs) such as the M270 and M142 HIMARS – both built by Lockheed Martin – for more firepower at longer ranges to hit troop concentrations and depots. weapons in the Russian rear. The long-range missiles that Ukraine is looking for have a range of more than 480 km – exceeding that of howitzers. However, the Pentagon refused to provide these weapons after determining that shorter-range missiles were still sufficient.

In addition to missiles, the new weapons package includes ammunition, anti-aircraft radars, several air surveillance radars, anti-tank missiles. Javelin as well as anti-armor weapons, officials said.

The new US move has caused new tensions with Russia. Moscow believes Washington is adding fuel to the fire by supplying Kyiv with advanced missiles. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Ukraine’s request from the West to provide modern rocket launchers went beyond “all limits” and was an act of “direct provocation”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on June 1 also strongly criticized the US decision to transfer HIMARS. Peskov said Russia did not believe that Ukraine would not use such weapons to fire on Russian territory and that this could widen the risk of conflict and increase the risk of direct confrontation with Washington.