With a sigh of relief from the Ukraine and Europe ?
The Ukraine will be expected to blunt the Russia small gains in the past few months and go on the offense..
Along with the bump up in combat ammo and equipment (Patriot missile units), the Pentgon will be sending to the Ukriane shorttley?
They are looking to send more military ‘advisors’ into the Ukraine to train and assist its operating of new weapons…
The decision on the bill, which also includes funds to help keep Ukraine’s government running, came after airstrikes hit several major cities in the past week, including Chernihiv and Dnipro, killing dozens of people. Ukraine, which is also running low on air defense, said the strikes could have been avoided if it had better supplies….
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Ukraine has said that it will need 26 Patriot systems to cover the entire country. It has only three, and Germany recently pledged to send another. Kuleba is pushing European partners to hand over their Patriots, insisting they are more urgently needed in Ukraine than in the European Union.
Ukraine’s pleas intensified this week after the United States and other partners helped deflect a massive Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel, engaging in a way they have refused to in Ukraine. Kyiv saw the intervention as setting a double-standard, made more frustrating due to the aid package also being delayed on the Hill….
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European leaders echoed Ukraine’s thanks to the House on Saturday — with some hinting that months of delays were unnecessary.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk thanked Johnson on X, then wrote: “Better late than too late. And I hope it is not too late for Ukraine.”
E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who had urged Congress to act on the bill, said he welcomed the vote. “Ukraine will have the transatlantic support it needs to stand up to Russian aggression,” he wrote on X.
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The U.S. is considering sending additional military advisers to the embassy in Kyiv, the latest show of American commitment to Ukraine as Russia appears to be gaining momentum in the two-year conflict.
The advisers would not be in a combat role, but rather would advise and support the Ukrainian government and military, according to Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder….
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The new contingent will also help the Ukrainian military with weapons maintenance, according to one of the U.S. officials and the person familiar.
A handful of U.S. troops have already deployed for short rotations attached to the embassy in Kyiv, two of the U.S. officials said, with the second official describing the numbers as “onesies and twosies.” Those personnel are helping with oversight and embassy security.
It was not clear how many additional U.S. troops would ultimately be sent to Ukraine, but two of the U.S. officials said the number would be up to 60…
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President Joe Biden has long vowed U.S. troops wouldn’t participate in the war on Ukraine’s behalf, as doing so would increase the risk of a direct confrontation between American and Russian forces….