U.S. greenlights £49 billion lifeline to Ukraine, sharpens military edge

On Saturday, April 20th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an aid package valued at £49 billion for Ukraine. The Biden administration emphasized that without this aid, Ukraine might lose the war with Russia by the end of the year. What kind of equipment support can Kyiv expect?

More than £18 billion will be allocated to replenish weapons and supplies delivered by Washington, £11 billion for advanced weapons systems, and £9 billion for maintaining American forces in the region.

The decision of the U.S. House of Representatives has unlocked the path to substantial military and financial support for Ukraine, which is needed to repel Russian aggression. The bill proposing the transfer of nearly £49 billion will now head to the Senate, where the vote will most likely occur this week. After it is signed, Kyiv can count on significant support in the form of military equipment needed on the battlefield.

For now, the exact contents of the package are not known, but Ukrainians have long reported a demand for specific types of weapons. It is noteworthy that on Sunday, April 21st, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the USA, Mark Warner, announced that after President Joe Biden approves the aid package for Kyiv, the defenders could begin receiving long-range ATACMS missiles. These powerful ballistic missiles allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to carry out strikes even on the Russian-occupied Crimea.

Currently, Ukrainians are using older versions of MGM-140 ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missiles, namely the medium-range ATACMS M39, capable of striking targets with high precision at a distance of up to 160 km. With the newer versions, this range would increase to even 300 km. Combined with HIMARS systems, it would allow Ukraine to inflict severe blows on the Russians and strike targets beyond the reach of traditional artillery systems (e.g., command centres or critical infrastructure).

It is not ruled out that the aid package may also include the equipment requests that Volodymyr Zelensky presented on Friday, April 19th, during the NATO-Ukraine Council. These included 155 mm calibre ammunition, equipment enabling deep and precise strikes, drones, and additional air defence systems. During the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg noted, "In addition to the Patriots (Germany has committed to providing them to Ukraine), allies can provide other weapons."

It is worth recalling that Ukraine uses various air defence systems provided by its allies. Its army has experience operating the German short-range Skylink system, or the medium-range NASAMS air defence systems, created in cooperation between the American Raytheon and the Norwegian group Kongsberg. The first of these solutions is the last line of defence against incoming missiles, projectiles, or drones. The second (in the latest NASAMS-3 configuration) allows striking air targets at even 60 km.

- Allies must dig deep into their reserves and accelerate the delivery of missiles, artillery, and ammunition. Ukraine uses the weapons provided by us to destroy Russian combat capabilities. Thanks to this, we are all safer - said during the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, Jens Stoltenberg. He also emphasized that support for Kyiv is not a charity activity but "an investment in our security." In this context, it should not be surprising that the United States, being in a leading position in the Alliance, is ready to provide defenders with even more essential weapons.