The plan, however, is hindered by logistics hurdles and dwindling stockpiles
The Biden administration is planning to fully utilize allocated funds to send more weapons to Ukraine, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed White House officials. However, the plan faces challenges due to logistical issues and depleted US weapon stockpiles.
Washington has over $7 billion remaining in drawdown authority, enabling the Pentagon to transfer weapons and ammunition to Kyiv. Additionally, they have another $2 billion to fund long-term equipment contracts for Ukraine, the WSJ noted.
The upcoming delivery includes approximately 500 anti-aircraft missiles for systems such as Patriots and NASAMS, a senior Biden administration official revealed. These missiles are expected to arrive in Ukraine within the next few weeks, addressing the country’s air defense needs for the rest of the year.
The plan has sparked concerns about further depleting already strained US weapons stockpiles, officials told the newspaper. Moreover, delivering such a large amount of weaponry within a short timeframe is likely to lead to logistics complications and place additional pressure on US capabilities, the officials warned.
The swift delivery of weapons to Ukraine before President Joe Biden’s term ends aims to provide Kyiv with an advantage and strengthen its “negotiating position,” according to the WSJ. While the initial goal was to deliver the weaponry by April, Donald Trump’s potential election win has seemingly prompted the outgoing administration to expedite the process.
The president-elect has consistently criticized the extensive aid provided to Kyiv and has repeatedly pledged to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine quickly, potentially even before taking office officially. However, Trump has provided little to no specifics on how he would achieve this.
The delivery is unlikely to fulfill Kyiv’s ever-growing list of weapons requests. Separately, the WSJ reported that Washington has declined to provide Ukraine with additional ATACMS ballistic missiles. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky that fulfilling this request, which would involve violating long-standing US arms contracts and prioritizing Ukraine over other customers awaiting these missiles, was “too much to ask.”
The Pentagon has expressed reluctance in sending additional ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, arguing that these munitions are not actually necessary as Russia has already relocated valuable assets beyond their reach.