The Biden administration announced that it will provide additional air defense systems to Ukraine by prioritizing them over other allies who have already purchased this equipment.
The decision to prioritize Ukraine for the deliveries of Patriot and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems missiles, which National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced on a call with reporters Thursday, comes after repeated pleas from Ukrainian leaders as Russia has “applied a lot more energy and effort in recent months” to destroy Ukraine’s energy system, he said.
Ukraine is “in desperate need of additional air defense capabilities,” Kirby added, describing the decision as an “extraordinary step.”
The Ukrainians should start receiving these interceptors this summer. The goal is to provide them with enough equipment to last the next 16 months.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked President Joe Biden on X, saying the aid “will protect Ukrainian cities and civilians.”
“The partnership between Ukraine and the United States is strong and unwavering. Together, we are protecting life against terror and aggression,’‘ he added.
Multiple countries have been informed that their purchases of these weapons systems will be delayed due to the United States’s decision to prioritize Ukraine, though they will still get what they purchased on a longer timeline. They were “broadly understanding” of the U.S.’s decision, Kirby explained.
Kirby did not specify which countries, or how many, will have their orders delayed, though Switzerland has been identified as one of those nations, according to Blick.
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The Biden administration’s decision will not affect U.S. aid deliveries to Israel or Taiwan.
Also this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to North Korea where he met with leader Kim Jong Un. The two authoritarian leaders strengthened their partnership, which U.S. officials have warned about repeatedly for months.
North Korea has provided lethal aid to Russia for use in Ukraine, including giving them more than one million artillery shells as well as ballistic missiles.
