Arms immediately in Kiev. American President Joe Biden assured this yesterday at the White House after signing the 95 billion dollar law for aid and weapons for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The US Senate’s long-delayed green light for the package came with broad bipartisan support. In reality, as anticipated by Politico and then confirmed by the White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, The United States has already secretly sent ATACMS long-range missiles to Ukraine.
“I can confirm, as you have heard from others, that the president has directed his team to provide Ukraine with a significant number of Atacms missiles for use within Ukraine’s sovereign territory,” Sullivan said, adding that “ne we will send more, now that we have additional authority and money.” According to Politico, which cites three different sources, Kiev has already used them twice. The Atacms, which have a range of approximately 260 kilometers and can therefore reach Russian territory, were insistently requested by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Biden’s signature and speech
“Now we must move quickly, and we will,” the American president said after signing the law, adding that now “the United States will send Kiev the aid it needs to continue fighting.”
“I will make sure that the shipments begin immediately – said Biden at the White House – in the next few hours we will begin to send ammunition for air defense, artillery, missile systems and armored vehicles”. “This package is an investment not only in the security of Ukraine, but also in Europe and in our security as well,” she remarked.
The US president referred to the fact that this law comes many months after his request for funds last autumn. “The path to my desk was difficult, he should have arrived sooner, but in the end he did what America always does, he rose to the occasion,” he underlined. However, there was no lack of a blow to the Republicans who blocked aid for Kiev.
“While for months the Republicans blocked aid, and the Ukrainians lacked artillery and ammunition, Putin’s friends kept him well supplied – he said – the Iranians sent drones, North Korea sent ballistic missiles, China sent components to strengthen production With all this support, Russia has resumed attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.”
The message to Putin
As for Moscow, “if Putin attacks a NATO ally like he is attacking Ukraine, we would have no choice but to come to their aid, as they did to us on 9/11,” Biden said, referring to Article 5 of the defense collective of the Atlantic Alliance, until now invoked only after the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington by Al Qaeda. The American president has in fact expressed his belief that if “Putin manages to win in Ukraine, his next move would be a direct attack on a NATO ally”.
“Today’s U.S. military aid package for Ukraine is vital,” he said Ukrainian President Zelensky, thanking all Americans who work in defense companies on social media. “It is essential that the agreements reached between me and President Biden are fully implemented. Thank you, America!”, added the Ukrainian leader, announcing “every effort” to compensate for the months “spent in debates and doubts”.