PThe $100 million aid package was prepared in response to the” aggressive movements ” of the Russian military near the border with Ukraine. The US decided to freeze it because of the withdrawal of troops and the preparation of a meeting between Biden and Putin
The US White House has temporarily frozen the implementation of a plan to provide military assistance to Ukraine, Politico reports, citing four sources.
The cost of the aid package, which includes the delivery of lethal weapons to Kiev, is $100 million. The plan was originally developed as a response to the “aggressive movements of Russian troops” along the border with Ukraine this spring. According to the publication, it was prepared on behalf of the US National Security Council, it was attended by State Department officials and Pentagon employees.
However, according to Politico, the National Security Council postponed this measure due to the fact that Russia announced the withdrawal of troops from the border. The decision on the freeze was also influenced by the preparations for the meeting of US and Russian Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, which was held in Geneva on June 16, the newspaper reports.
One of the interlocutors of the publication said that the aid can still be sent to Ukraine. According to two sources of the newspaper, the package includes short-range air defense systems, small arms and anti-tank weapons.
In March of this year, Russia moved some troops to the south-western borders of the country, which caused an aggravation of relations with Ukraine. Kiev saw this as a threat to its own security. Against this background, Ukraine announced the training of territorial defense units in the southern border areas. President Vladimir Zelenskyhe called the transfer of Russian troops “a game of muscle”, Western countries called on Russia to withdraw its troops. Moscow explained the transfer of troops by exercises and pointed out that what was happening did not pose a danger to other countries. On April 22, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered the return of Russian troops to their permanent locations.
On April 14, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced that the Pentagon will continue to provide material assistance to Kiev. In particular, it was about the supply of non-combat equipment to Ukraine, some types of weapons, as well as the dispatch of military instructors. Washington also promised to support Kiev in the event of an escalation of “military aggression” by Moscow.
This month, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said that Washington and Kiev are good friends, but Biden “must do more” to “contain Russia” and end the conflict in the Donbas. “If the US wants to see Ukraine in NATO, it should say so directly and do so. Not in words, ” he said. This summer, Biden invited Zelensky to visit Washington, as reported in Kiev, the main topic of the talks between the two presidents will be the participation of the United States in the process of peaceful settlement of the situation in the Donbas.
The US authorities froze the program of military assistance to Ukraine in 2019, this decision was made by Donald Trump, who served as the American president. Democrats attributed this to pressure on Kiev to launch an investigation against Hunter Biden, the son of Joe Biden, who was then a candidate in the election. Later, the Main Control Department of the United States recognized Trump’s decision as violating the law.
The US Senate previously approved the draft defense budget for the 2021 fiscal year (from October 1 to September 30), which provides for the allocation of military assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $250 million. In March, Pentagon press Secretary John Kirby said that as a new package, Washington will provide Kiev with $125 million.
In early June, the representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov, said that, according to the ministry, a batch of modern weapons will be delivered to Ukraine under the cover of military exercises involving NATO forces Sea Breeze. The maneuvers will take place from June 28 to July 10 on the Black Sea in the Mykolaiv, Kherson and Odessa regions.