Biden to announce major Ukraine aid package during Zelensky's visit

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Sep 2023 21:49

Media reports, citing officials, suggest that the US is unlikely to authorize the provision of ATACMS missiles to Ukraine in the near future.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Sept. 19. (AFP)

According to a congressional source who spoke to Sputnik, US President Joe Biden is anticipated to unveil a substantial assistance package for Ukraine during President Volodymyr Zelensky's upcoming visit to Washington on Thursday.

"I'm hearing Biden will announce a significant aid package tomorrow when he meets with Zelensky," the source said on Wednesday.

Media reports pointed out that the Biden administration is planning to unveil a military assistance package worth $325 million for Ukraine.

This package is expected to encompass additional provisions such as cluster munitions, 155mm artillery shells, Avenger air defense systems, stinger defense systems, Javelin anti-tank missiles, and GMLRS rockets designed for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), among other items.

When approached by Sputnik, a spokesperson from the White House National Security Council declined to comment on whether the long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles would be included in this package.

However, as per a statement from a Defense Department official to Sputnik, there have been no changes in the US stance on refraining from supplying ATACMS missiles to Kiev.

Media reports, citing officials, suggest that the US is unlikely to authorize the provision of ATACMS missiles to Ukraine in the near future.

Since the start of the conflict, the US has invested over $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine. Despite all the money spent, the Ukrainian counteroffensive has shown no signs of progress.

Last Friday, Ukrainian media reported that almost nine out of every ten Ukrainian draftees who enlisted in the army a year ago have either been killed or injured in combat.

Lt. Colonel Vitaly Berezhny, who is currently serving as the acting head of the territorial center for recruitment and social support, made this admission during a Poltava City Council meeting.

Sounding the alarm, Berezhny told meeting participants that "out of the 100 individuals who joined the units last fall, only 10-20 of them remain, the rest are dead, wounded or disabled." Going from this statistic, he declared that the military was in urgent need of reinforcements.

In recent days, Russian President Vladimir Putin estimated Ukraine's military casualties to exceed 71,000 personnel. Additionally, he proposed that Kiev might consider engaging in negotiations with Moscow once its resources for confronting Russian defenses become critically depleted. Putin's assessment emphasized that Ukraine would primarily seek talks to rehabilitate its weakened military capabilities.

In late August, Zelensky reportedly voiced his desire to forge a security deal that would resemble in many ways the alliance between the US and "Israel."