How Ukraine has surpassed Israel to become the top recipient of US military aid

Even without the Senate considering a proposed $ 20 billion military aid package, the United States is already the largest donor of military aid to Ukraine because it protects itself against Russian aggression.

On Monday, President Biden called on Congress to approve the proposal, saying the money for shipments to Ukraine would run out within 10 days.

The latest package, part of a nearly $ 40 billion aid bill, goes beyond arms shipments and presents a long-term commitment to US involvement in the war. The money will also be used to increase production of US weapons stockpiles to replenish the significant amount of weapons already shipped to Ukraine.

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The increase in military spending, as well as the recent move to send more advanced equipment, indicate a recognition that war could drag on, experts say.

Mark Kansian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said: “In the past, we used to offer a weekly or two-week aid package to avoid defeat. “But then the realization came that this thing could go on for quite some time.”

Kansian noted that the budget approved by the House goes through the end of the fiscal year, suggesting the expectation that the war could last at least another four months.

Perspective number

Each year, the United States spends billions of dollars to fund the military forces of partner countries, including Israel and Jordan. But in less than three months, Ukraine’s promises have exceeded those figures. If the Senate passes the package, the pledge will receive annual U.S. military assistance to its closest partners.

Analysts see the West’s military support as crucial to Ukraine’s success against a number of major rivals.

“If the United States and other countries had not sent lethal aid in the first place, Ukraine would have been overwhelmed in the first place, and the Ukrainian government would now be a puppet of Russia,” Kansian said. “As the war requires an uninterrupted supply of weapons and equipment to replace the casualties of the troops, the flow of supplies to the United States and other countries must continue.”

The aid is more than half of last year’s military budget in Ukraine. According to some estimates, an increase of about 20 billion would bring the US contribution to about one-third of Russia’s annual military budget, although some analysts estimate that Moscow spends up to $ 200 billion on its military, far more than official figures.

The evolution of war

As the war has changed, so has the weapons supplied by the United States. Initially, when a convoy of Russian vehicles crashed into Kiev, US assistance included anti-tank weapons, particularly javelin missiles. These weapons lock in the thermal profile of a target and can strike from above or below the head of a tank.

[What to know about the Javelin antitank missiles in Ukraine]

After logistical and military failures, Moscow’s plans to seize the Ukrainian capital were thwarted, Russia shifted its focus to the east, and the United States began sending long-range artillery suitable for war on open territory. Howitzers supplied by the United States are heavy artillery that fires artillery rounds up to 24 miles.

[Western artillery surging into Ukraine will reshape war with Russia]

It could have been done faster, said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center for Defense of Democracy’s Center for Military and Political Power. “The main evolution I have seen is an excessive hesitation and delay in assistance before the attack, which is really a quick and creative move.”

Kansian noted that the first shipment of weapons included a javelin, which required a maximum of two people to handle, while the new shipments included dozens of howitzers, with a demand of at least five. Howitzer training of Ukrainian troops began last month.

“There was a recognition, I think, that time was available,” he said.

As Western weapons flow into Ukraine, Russia’s ally Belarus is also increasing its involvement in the war. The head of the General Staff of the Belarusian Armed Forces, Viktor Gulevich, said on Tuesday that the military would send special forces to its border with Ukraine as “the United States and its allies continue to increase their military presence on state borders.”

Alex Horton and William Kneff contributed to this report.