US ‘quietly’ shipped army tactical missile systems to Ukraine in February

Washington/Kyiv/Moscow/Beijing: Even as the United States today announced a new package of weapons and equipment valued at up to $1 billion for Ukraine to fight “Russia’s aggression”, it disclosed having “quietly” providing it with army tactical missile systems (ATACMS) in February 2024.

Following the passage of the national security supplemental, the first tranche of weapons was out today. However, Washington disclosed that it already provided Ukraine with ATACMS at the President’s direction. “He quietly directed his national security team to send ATACMS to Ukraine for use inside Ukrainian sovereign territory in February [2024]. They started moving as part of the military aid package we announced on March 12th, and those missiles arrived in Ukraine this month. We did not announce this at the onset in order to maintain operational security for Ukraine at their request, and I’ll defer to them to speak about their use and how they may or may not be operationalized in their own military operation,” a US State Department Spokesperson said.

Biden, on his part, accused Iran and North Korea of respectively sending drones; ballistic missiles and artillery shells, to Russia.  He also accused China of providing components and know-how to boost Russia’s defence production.

China, however, warned that its right to conduct normal trade and economic exchanges with Russia and other countries in the world based on equality and mutual benefit “should not be interfered with or disrupted” and that China’s legitimate and lawful rights and interests should not be infringed on. Beijing stated that the US “needs to know that to fan the flames or to smear others and shift the blame is no way to solve the Ukraine issue. Only by accommodating the legitimate security concerns of all parties and creating a balanced, effective, and sustainable European security architecture through dialogue and negotiation is the right way forward”.

The US Senate yesterday voted to pass a new military aid package for Ukraine worth almost $61 billion, according to the Official web portal of the Verkhovna Rada (the unicameral Parliament) of Ukraine. After the US Congress passed legislation, Biden today signed the foreign aid bill (H.R.815)  into law, which provides supplemental emergency appropriations for fiscal year 2024 to Federal agencies to respond to the situations in Israel and Ukraine, and for assistance to the Indo-Pacific region.   

Biden said, “I just signed into law the national security package that was passed by the House of Representatives this weekend and by the Senate yesterday. It’s going to make America safer.  It’s going to make the world safer.  And it continues America’s leadership in the world, and everyone knows it.  It gives vital support to America’s partners and so they can defend themselves against threats to their sovereignty and to the lives and freedom of their citizens.  And it’s an investment in our own security, because when our allies are stronger — and I want to make this point again and again — when our allies are stronger, we are stronger”.

“I’m making sure the shipments start right away,” Biden said, adding, “The need is urgent: for Ukraine, facing unrelenting bombardment from Russia.” Biden said, “I want to thank [Senate Majority] Leader [Charles Ellis ‘Chuck’] Schumer, [Senate Minority] Leader [Mitch] McConnell, and all of the bipartisan lawmakers in the Senate who voted for this bill. This critical legislation will make our nation and world more secure as we support our friends who are defending themselves against terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.

The US President said this package was an investment, “not only in Ukraine’s security but in Europe’s security, in our own security”. He added, “We’re sending Ukraine equipment from our own stockpiles, and then we’ll replenish those stockpiles with new products made by American companies here in America: Patriot missiles made in Arizona, Javelins made in Alabama, artillery shells made in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. In other words, we’re helping Ukraine while at the same time investing in our own industrial base, strengthening our own national security, and supporting jobs in nearly 40 states all across America”.

Russia said with the latest aid to Ukraine, “all that the White House wants is for the Ukrainian armed forces to hold out at least until the November voting without damaging Biden’s image”. Moscow warned Washington’s actions as an active party to the conflict would be rebuffed unconditionally and decisively, and its increasingly deeper plunge into the hybrid war against Russia would end up in a fiasco for the United States as scandalous and humiliating as in Vietnam and Afghanistan.

The US move follows the  United Kingdom’s announcement of the biggest-ever military package to Ukraine worth 500 million pounds ($619 million), as disclosed by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The US said the UK’s announcement was not just about support for Ukraine. It was also about the United Kingdom committing to contribute 2.5 per cent of its GDP towards the defence space by 2030. A US State Department Spokesperson said it was a step “that we think is in line with NATO commitments but also, again, something that bolsters the transatlantic Alliance”.

While the British package contains Storm Shadow and other types of missiles, hundreds of armoured vehicles and watercraft, and ammunition, the “significant” US package includes urgently needed capabilities including air defence missiles, munitions for HIMARS, artillery rounds, armoured vehicles, precision aerial munitions, anti-armour weapons, and small arms, equipment, and spare parts to help Ukraine defend its territory and protect its people.

“We are sending a powerful message today about the power of American leadership as we support Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression,” the US State Department said. It asserted that the United States will continue to work “with the coalition of more than 50 countries we have assembled” to provide critical support for Ukraine’s forces.

US President Joe Biden today also asked his Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken to determine “whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $145 million in assistance to Ukraine without regard to any provision of law…”

Besides, the European Union today transferred another tranche of €1.5 billion macro-financial assistance programme to Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said these funds are allocated within the €50 billion Ukraine Facility programme aimed to provide financial aid to Ukraine amidst the Russian full-scale war. –

Meanwhile the US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell yesterday met with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană to discuss “key priorities for the Washington Summit, including strengthening our shared commitment to Ukraine, furthering NATO’s Indo-Pacific partnerships, and building upon collective defence commitments.