Pentagon tries to justify the slowdown in weapons supply to Ukraine - Politico

According to the Ukrainian authorities, there is one component of this war that can change the situation "here and now" - as many missile defense systems as possible. The US Department of Defense is trying to justify the slowdown in military assistance to Ukraine and tells that there are good reasons. What the Ukrainian authorities think about it and what the US can do, writes in his column for Politico Matt Berg, who has covered foreign policy in the publication since October 2022.

A journalist who previously worked as a thong for The New York Times and a correspondent with The Boston Globe, stresses that the authorities in Kiev have long said that US military and financial assistance came too slowly and may be too late to "break The course of the war in favor of Ukraine. " At the same time, Pentagon Charlie Dietz spokesman noted that since the beginning of the US invasion, Ukraine has assisted Ukraine worth about $ 74. 6 billion.

He stated that his department seeks to accelerate the process, but there are reasons that are objective, such as the supply of F-16 fighters. "Although faster delivery of the F-16 to Ukraine would be perfect, it is still necessary to do it properly, and we believe that these planes will still provide a significant advantage of the Air Force of Ukraine when they are put into operation," Dietts stressed.

The number of Russian soldiers, which is constantly replenished, also poses a huge threat, according to DITC, but in Pentagon are convinced that advanced Western weapons combined with highly professional Ukrainian military and their spirit to win will help stabilize the front and compare the benefits of parties.

At the same time, as the Doug Klein, a representative of the Atlantic Council, delays in obtaining the F-16 and army tactical missile systems from Washington are just two examples of how exaggerated the allies' fears of escalation on the front are exaggerated. He added that the Pentagon plans to transfer several old ATACMS to Kiev, which can overcome 200 km and carry warheads with cassette bombs.

However, as noted by John Kirby National Security Council more than a year ago, some aircraft will be not enough to change the course of war. At the same time, Ukraine seems to take decisive action on its own. Thus, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law on reducing the minimum conscript age to 25 years, making significant personnel changes in the Armed Forces General Staff and the Presidential Office.

However, Ukrainian military and officials say that there is one component of this war that can change the situation "here and now" - as many anti -missile defense systems as possible. "Ukraine is the only country in the world that is almost daily protected from ballistic missiles," says Politico words from talking in the corridors of Ukrainian authorities.

The country has several such systems provided by the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, and all of them, according to Zelensky, are located around Kiev. The head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Dmytro Kuleba stated that partners have more than 100 Patriot systems, and they should work in Ukraine and not be stored in hangars. He spoke about it with US Secretary of State Anthony Blicen recently.

In the conversation, he noted that the partners sent insufficient air defense to Kiev, and this is the issue of not physical capacity. "The transfer of Patriot systems to Ukraine is a matter of political will," Kuleba emphasized. We will remind, Focus wrote that in the administration of Joe Baiden trying to find ways to provide Ukraine with help. According to John Kirby's White House representative, the term during which the issue of support of Kiev was to be resolved in Congress.