This includes $1 billion last week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a passionate plea to Congress for more, asking for more defense assistance as his country fights against the Russian invasion.
Some items that Ukrainians need are not available by the U.S., either due to a shortage of stock or because they fear provoking a larger war.
“No-Fly Zone”
Zelenskyy asked the U.S. for a no fly zone over Ukraine in order to reduce the Russian bombardment that continues to decimate the country. The U.S. would have to patrol the airspace above Ukraine in order to establish a no-fly zone. This would likely lead to direct conflict between Russia and the U.S. The President Biden has made clear that the United States will not be fighting in Ukraine.
On his recent trip to Europe, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated that there is no “no fly zone light” and that the U.S. does not have one. He stated that if the U.S. establishes a no fly zone, it is a sign that the U.S. is engaged in conflict with Russia.
MiG-29 fighter jets
The Ukrainians have other options than fighter jets, and are not looking for a no fly zone. Ukrainian pilots have been trained to fly Soviet-era fighter planes, including the MiG-29 fighter aircrafts. These jets are still in the inventory of some former Warsaw Pact members, such as Poland, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. The Polish government had earlier announced that it would transfer its MiG-29s from Poland to the U.S. at Ramstein Airbase, Germany. There the U.S. could transfer them to Ukraine. The Biden administration, however, rejected the idea. Russia could view flying from a U.S. military base in Germany as an escalation to the conflict. The U.S. Congress is still pushing for Ukraine’s acquisition of MiG-29s.
S-300 air defense system
The S-300 surface-to-air and missile systems can shoot down cruise missiles as well as aircraft. The S-300 is a Russian-made system of air defense, and the U.S. doesn’t have one in its stock. These systems are available in NATO countries like Greece, Slovakia and Bulgaria.
This week, the minister of defense in Slovakia stated that Slovakia would give an S-300 system immediately to the Ukrainians if it gets a backfill system from the U.S. and other NATO allies. The U.S. states that it does not have any announcements to make. The Netherlands and Germany have since indicated that they will lend a Patriot air-defense systems to Slovakia in order to fill the void left by the S-300.
The U.S. provides Military Assistance
Javelins
According to the White House, over 7,000 Javelin antitank systems have been provided by the U.S. to Ukraine. Javelin’s “top attack” capability is what makes it so distinctive. The missile can fly 150m into the air, then strike the tank from the top where armor is thinnest. Javelin can be carried by forces as a shoulder-mounted weapon. This missile system can be considered “fire and forget”, as it uses infrared guidance.
Stinger anti-aircraft systems
Stinger is a portable, surface-to-air missile that can be used to target aircraft. Stinger missiles can be used to target aircraft and helicopters below 13,000 feet. The Stinger missile is similar to the Javelin and uses an infrared guide as a way to pinpoint a target. According to the White House approximately 1,400 Stinger antiaircraft systems were provided by the Ukrainains. The Stinger gained fame when the CIA gave the weapons to the Mujahideen of Afghanistan in the 1980s. This weapon allowed them to target Soviet aircraft.
Tactical unmanned aircraft systems
The Biden administration announced its latest aid to Ukraine in a list of “100 tactical unmanned air systems” (drones) that it had listed. According to CBS News, the Switchblade drones manufactured by AeroVironment are the drones. Because they explode upon hitting a target, the drones are called “kamikaze drones”. There are two versions: the Switchblade 300, which is intended to target personnel, and Switchblade 600, which targets armored equipment such as tanks.
U.S. assistance
The Biden administration, in its latest $800 million package for assistance, provides Ukraine with:
100 grenade launchers
5,000 rifles
1,000 pistols
400 machine guns
400 shotguns
More than 20 million small arms ammunition, grenade launcher, and mortar rounds
25000 sets of body armor
25,000 helmets
