Biden Admin Announces $300M Weapons Package for Ukraine

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Facts

  • White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced Tuesday that Washington will send Ukraine an additional $300M in security assistance. The new funding reportedly became available due to costs recouped from weapons contracts.1
  • According to senior defense officials, the latest aid package includes air defense interceptors, artillery rounds, armor systems, and a variant of the 100-mile (160 km) range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).2
  • Sullivan said the funding from 'unanticipated cost savings' will be sent to Kyiv 'to push back against the continued Russian onslaught in the east and in other parts of Ukraine.'3
  • In one example of cost-savings provided by an official, the Army had initially estimated the cost of 25 mm rounds of ammunition at $130 each but negotiated the price down to $93.4
  • Sullivan claimed the package would fund Ukraine for only 'a couple of weeks.' Last December, the Defense Department announced a similar surprise discovery of funds that it attributed to an accounting error.1
  • Biden has requested an additional $60.1B for Ukraine, a proposed bill that was passed by the Senate but has been delayed by Republicans in the House. The US has so far sent $75B to Ukraine in cash and equipment for military, governance support, and humanitarian assistance.2

Sources: 1CNN, 2New York Times, 3Washington Post and 4thehill.com.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Voice of America. Congress is risking America's national security by delaying its proposed aid package bill. With each of these bills, enough money was allocated to deliver Kyiv what it needs to fight Moscow, as well as enough to replenish the US stockpile from which Ukraine's weapons are coming. The Pentagon can only search for alternative funding sources for so long — once it runs out, the world will be at great risk. While the president does have $4B left to send to Ukraine, he can't risk sending it without assurances of replenishment from the legislative branch.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by AntiWar. As Americans watch the Pentagon and its pro-war friends in Congress complain about national security and Ukraine, this is the perfect time to remember the same charged language that was used to influence the population into supporting the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The US military-industrial complex has sent so much money to Ukraine — with no evidence of it helping — that our defense stockpile has dried up. Congress should re-read the Constitution and start abiding by their duty only to start wars that the legislature votes to declare.

Predictions