Following Russia’s use of North Korean ballistic missiles in attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, the United States decided to provide Ukraine with long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles. These missiles have already been utilized to strike Russian military targets deep inside Russian territory.
The delivery of ATACMS was approved by President Joe Biden last month as part of a $300 million arms package. Since then, Kyiv has employed them against a Russian military airfield in Crimea and Russian forces in other occupied areas.
As part of an arms and aid package that Mr. Biden stated would be delivered “within hours” after signing a $95 billion national security appropriations bill, more US-made missiles will be supplied.
President Biden’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, stated that after signing the highly anticipated bill at the White House on Wednesday, Mr. Biden had authorized a “very substantial drawdown package.” This took place less than 24 hours after the Senate approved the bill by a vote of 78 to 18, ending a protracted stalemate caused by isolationist Republican opposition.
According to Sullivan, the package will include “urgently needed artillery” and ammunition for the HIMARS rocket system as well as, among other things, “more armored vehicles, Javelins, Stingers, and air defense interceptors.” All of these resources will be “moving immediately to make up for lost time at this critical moment.”
He further acknowledged that in February, Mr. Biden ordered the shipment of a “significant number” of ATACMS missiles “for use inside Ukraine sovereign territory” and explained that the choice to grant Ukrainian forces access to these sophisticated missiles was influenced, in part, by Russia’s acquisition and use of North Korean ballistic missiles in attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.
“We have observed the Russians’ willingness to accept long-range missiles from other nations, particularly North Korea. They’ve used them on the battlefield as well as to attack Ukrainian citizens. So, from our perspective, being able to step up and provide our own capabilities to Ukraine as partners of ours, we think it’s appropriate to do so at this moment. We believe it is a good capability for Ukraine at this stage of the conflict,” he added.
A few hours earlier, as soon as he had signed the legislation, Mr. Biden addressed reporters from the White House State Dining Room. He claimed that the defense aid package’s approval was a positive development for both the US and Europe as well as for “genuine global peace.”
He emphasized that the legislation he had just signed would “make America safer” and “make the world safer” while strengthening “American leadership in the world.”
“It provides critical support to America’s partners so they can defend themselves against threats to their sovereignty, as well as the lives and freedom of their citizens.”
He also referred to the new spending measure as “an investment in our own security, because when our allies are stronger, we are stronger.”
“I’m grateful. We’re all grateful to all those in Congress, Democrats, Republicans, and independents who voted for this legislation. Getting it to my desk was a difficult process. It should have been easier and arrived sooner. But we ultimately succeeded; we rose to the occasion, collaborated, and accomplished our goal,” he stated.
The legislation also includes funding for humanitarian aid for Gazan civilians. The President ignored inquiries about TikTok, which risks being prohibited in the United States after the Senate adopted a bill requiring it to either sell or cease all operations there, despite reporters’ specific inquiries about Gaza.
Following a months-long stalemate led by Republicans in Congress who threatened to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson from his position if he allowed a vote on any legislation that could have financed Ukrainian defense costs, President Biden’s signature on the supplemental spending bill for Ukraine put an end to the crisis.
It allocates around $61 billion to aid Ukraine and to replenish American weapon stockpiles that have been depleted to supply the Ukrainian armed forces with ammunition over the past year. The plan also includes $9 billion in forgivable loans to provide economic assistance to Kyiv.
There is now a combined $26 billion approved for Israel and Gaza, including $4 billion for Israel’s missile defense systems and another $9 billion for humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
The President said that the law he had signed would “significantly increase humanitarian assistance we’re sending to the innocent people of Gaza who are suffering badly” and “suffering consequences for what Hamas started.”
He continued, “We will immediately secure that aid, which includes food, medical supplies, and clean water. Israel must guarantee that all of this help reaches Palestinians in Gaza right away,” adding, “Everything we do is driven by the ultimate goal of bringing these hostages home, securing a ceasefire, and establishing the groundwork for a sustainable peace.”
Mr. Biden praised Mr. Johnson for guiding the bill through the House of Representatives alongside House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
He stated, “They don’t always concur. But when it matters most. They stepped up and did what was right; history will surely remember this era,” adding later that the two major parties had collaborated “time and time again… on the crucial issues” over the past three years.
“When it came time to stand with Ukraine and Israel and assist the people of Gaza, we did that as well. At the end of the day, the majority of us—whether we are Democrats, Republicans, or Independents—believe that America must defend what is right. We stand with our allies rather than abandon them. When we object to tyrants, we don’t allow them to prevail. We don’t simply observe how global events develop; we direct them. That’s what it means to be an indispensable nation, the world’s superpower, and the world’s foremost democracy,” he declared.
The President emphasized that the votes to approve the bill in the House and Senate showed a “bipartisan consensus for that kind of American leadership” on the world stage.
“That’s exactly what we’ll continue to provide,” he declared.
