After a very long pause

Biden sends Ukraine weapons through the back door

Ukraine is dependent on aid from the USA.(Bild: AP)

After months of pause, the government of US President Joe Biden has announced an emergency aid package with military equipment for Ukraine. The support is to come directly from the Department of Defense - and thus bypass the blocking House of Representatives.

Biden's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, said on Tuesday that the planned package was worth 300 million US dollars (around 275 million euros) and included a large number of artillery shells, among other things.

A "modest contribution"
It would be fed by funds that the US Department of Defense had saved on previous arms purchases through negotiations. As a result, a "modest amount" is available. However, Sullivan emphasized that the new ammunition could only help Kiev for a short time. "It is not nearly enough to meet Ukraine's needs on the battlefield, and it will not prevent Ukraine from running out of ammunition in the coming weeks," he said and warned: "Congress must act."

The USA is considered Ukraine's most important ally in the defensive fight against the Russian invasion. Since the start of the war in February 2022, Biden's government has provided more than 44 billion US dollars (around 40 billion euros) in military aid to Kiev. The US Department of Defense last announced a military aid package for Ukraine at the end of December. Since then, Kiev has been waiting for new financial commitments and further weapons and ammunition from the USA.

No political agreement in sight
The background to this is a domestic political blockade in the US Congress, where Republicans have so far refused to provide further aid for Kiev. The funds previously approved by Congress have been used up.

A long-term solution is not in sight. Republicans in the US House of Representatives continue to block billions in aid for Ukraine, which Biden had already requested from Parliament in October. Although the US Senate has now passed an aid package for Kiev worth around 60 billion dollars (around 55 billion euros), the other chamber of parliament has yet to approve it and there is currently no movement in this direction in the House of Representatives.