Pentagon says expects Trump to maintain Biden's Ukraine commitments
4 Min Read
White House officials are reportedly concerned that, despite Biden’s approval of additional aid, Pentagon delays could slow the shipments for months.
-
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh conducts a news briefing at the Pentagon, on Nov. 7, 2024. (Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs)
The US Department of Defense has announced that it will continue providing military aid to Ukraine until the end of President Joe Biden’s term, aiming to exhaust the remaining allocated funds for supplies before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.
The White House is set to fast-track weapons deliveries to Ukraine, according to reports from Reuters and Politico on Wednesday. Citing unnamed US officials, the reports underscored concerns that, even with President Biden’s approval of further aid, the Pentagon could face delays in delivering the equipment, potentially taking months. This delay raises fears that the incoming president could halt the shipments at any time.
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said on Thursday that, despite some equipment being out of stock or requiring more time for delivery, the Defense Department anticipates that President-elect Trump will not block any aid packages already approved by President Biden. She clarified that the Pentagon still has around $4 billion in military aid available for Ukraine through the previously committed Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) and about $2 billion through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
“When it comes to presidential drawdown packages, some things can arrive within days and weeks. Some items in those packages take longer. It does matter on what’s available on our shelves,” Singh said.
Furthermore, Singh assured that military aid packages for Ukraine will continue to be dispatched in the coming weeks, stating, “You’re going to continue to see packages roll out before the end of this administration.”
When questioned about whether the Pentagon has sufficient weapons and equipment in stock to utilize the remaining allocated funds before January 20, Singh sidestepped, saying, “We’re always constantly backfilling and restocking our shelves.”
She declined to give specifics, adding, “I’m not going to get into an Excel spreadsheet of what we have on our shelves, but we’re committed to providing Ukraine what it needs, including that $4 billion in authority. We are going to use it, and the president has committed to that.”
Since February 2022, the US Congress has authorized over $174 billion in military and other forms of aid to support the war in Ukraine.
Zelensky stressed out about battlefield setbacks, US elections: NYT
US military and intelligence officials believe the war in Ukraine is “no longer a stalemate” due to Russia’s recent gains on the battlefield, the New York Times (NYT) reported last Friday.
The report described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as appearing “worn and stressed,” concerned not only about setbacks on the battlefield but also about the results of the US elections, during a meeting with American officials in Kiev last week.
Ukrainian troops, the report added, are contending with low morale, limited reinforcements, and an inability to match Russian firepower.
An unnamed Ukrainian major stationed near Russia’s Kursk Region told the NYT that Ukrainian forces are “constantly losing previously occupied positions,” with Russian forces enjoying an advantage in manpower and artillery.
Despite these challenges, US officials believe that Ukrainians might capitalize on “Russia’s weaknesses” if American support “remains strong until next summer,” the report pointed out.
Zelensky concerned about war trajectory
Russian forces have steadily advanced in recent months, capturing the heavily fortified town of Ugledar in the Donbass region early last month. Moscow has also intensified its offensive to push Ukrainian units back from the Kursk Region, which was targeted in an incursion in August.
Zelensky has expressed increasing concern over the war's trajectory, acknowledging earlier this year that Kiev has effectively become “a hostage” to the volatile US election cycle. In July, he called on Ukraine's foreign allies to intensify their support to help bring the conflict to a close “as soon as possible.”
The BBC reported this week that both soldiers and civilians in Ukraine closely watched the US presidential campaign.
It's notable that the incoming US President has frequently referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “the greatest salesman on Earth,” emphasizing throughout his campaign that he could end the Ukraine war within 24 hours if re-elected. Trump has consistently argued that Ukraine is incapable of achieving a military victory over Russia, positioning himself as a potential peacemaker capable of swiftly resolving the conflict.
Read more: Ex-CIA analyst: US deeply immersed in Ukraine war from outset
