The decisive step in the US Congress for the long-awaited aid package in Ukraine has been taken. Positive signals are coming from the Senate that weapons could now be delivered quickly – including missile systems with longer ranges.
After the US House of Representatives approved a new multi-billion dollar aid package for Ukraine, Ukraine is pushing for quick delivery. The Chairman of the Intelligence Committee in the US Senate, Mark Warner, gave hope – especially with regard to long-range ATACMS missile systems.
Warner told the US broadcaster CBS that he hoped that once US President Joe Biden had signed the law, arms deliveries would be on the way by the end of the week. “I believe that the government has been preparing in recent months to make ATACMS (…) available,” said the US senator when asked whether longer-range weapon systems would also be delivered and not just ammunition. He is counting on them being literally sent off with the signature.
Zelenskyj: Now the chance to stabilize the situation
The Ukrainian president appealed to the USA to quickly deliver the promised military aid. “We now have the chance to stabilize the situation and take the initiative,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the US broadcaster NBC, according to the translation. “We want to move things forward as quickly as possible so that we can provide tangible help to the soldiers on the front lines as quickly as possible. Not in six months.” He pointed out that it had been decided a year ago to provide his country with new F-16 fighter jets. “A year has passed. And we still don’t have the jets in Ukraine.”
When asked, the Ukrainian president did not want to give a timetable. However, he again warned urgently about Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. “If Ukraine fails, Putin will definitely invade the Baltics,” Zelensky said. “He wants to reconquer all the former Soviet republics that are now independent states. He doesn’t care whether they are in NATO or not.”
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also hoping for a quick decision from the US Senate. “It is good news that the House of Representatives has now passed a resolution to provide further financial support to Ukraine with weapons,” said Scholz. “We very much hope that there will be a decision from the Senate soon so that this help from the USA is secured for the future.”
Expert: Help comes too late and not enough
But there was also criticism from Ukraine: Ukraine was happy that the aid package had now been approved, “but the problem is, to be honest, it’s too late and it’s not enough,” said Ukrainian expert Alexij Haran, professor of comparative politics at the National University of Kiev-Mohyla Academy. For example, there aren’t enough rockets and the airspace can’t be protected enough; most recently, artillery shells were also missing, says Haran.
US government wants to deliver long-range missile systems for the first time
On Saturday, the US House of Representatives approved with a bipartisan majority an aid package worth 61 billion US dollars (57 billion euros), which also includes urgently needed arms deliveries for defense against Russia. The necessary approval from the Senate is still pending, but is considered certain – it is expected in the middle of the week. Biden then still has to sign the law.
The text also calls for the delivery of long-range ATACMS missile systems. The draft law states that Biden should make these missile systems available to Ukraine “as soon as practicable.” Previously, the USA delivered ATACMS with a shorter range of 165 kilometers. But Ukraine wants one with a range of 300 kilometers.