It became known that $200 million of previously unannounced U.S. military assistance to Ukraine authorized the shipment of much of the same defensive equipment the US has provided in the past, including small arms and ammunition, secure radios, medical equipment, spare parts and other equipment.
Politico reports, citing its own sources in the American and Ukrainian governments.
According to the publication, $200 million was approved as part of President JoeBiden’s drawdown authority, which empowers him to have the secretary of State ask the secretary of Defense to deliver items from existing Pentagon stock to a country in peril.
The president’s team is then required to tell Congress “that an unforeseen emergency required immediate military assistance,” per the Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s website.
Multiple congressional staffers said they first heard of this drawdown authorization during a recent classified briefing. Furthermore, they said, none of the $200 million in weaponry has gone to Ukraine yet, as the drawdown process was just completed.
At the same time, Advisor to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said the United States will send radar systems and some maritime equipment, though it’s unclear when the first deliveries will be made.
The Zelensky adviser added that the Ukrainians were informed of the forthcoming aid last month “at the senior level.”
“Given that U.S. intelligence consistently suggests that Russia may launch a full-blown invasion using all its military might, this aid would allow Ukraine to inflict additional damage on Russia but would not significantly alter the outcome,” the adviser said.