US accelerates £50 billion aid to Ukraine, challenging Russia's war economy
The implications of the US implementing a new aid package for Ukraine are expected to be felt almost immediately. It aims to avert critical setbacks on the battlefield in the short term and chip away at Russia's long-held conviction that its war economy—dedicating at least 6 per cent of its GDP to defence—is invincible, according to "The Economist".
21 April 2024 12:18
The United States is set to earmark a total of around £50 billion in assistance for Ukraine.
As reported by "The Economist", the majority of this fund will be directed towards replenishing American military inventories, providing more equipment to Ukraine and procuring new weaponry and ammunition from American arms manufacturers. A three-star American general has already been appointed to oversee the logistics of weapons deliveries.
When will the weapons reach Ukraine?
According to "The Economist", the Pentagon is expected to commence missile deliveries to Ukraine within two weeks. Michael Kofman from the Carnegie Endowment's advisory team noted that Washington can supply Kyiv with enough ammunition to last approximately a year.
The dispatch of bulkier weapon systems will require considerably more time. Some orders for these systems are still pending, let alone their manufacture. Kofman mentioned that they hope this will be enough to counter the Russian offensive that Ukraine is preparing for in June.
"The Washington Post" cited an unnamed official from Joe Biden's administration who stated that, following the president's approval of the bill, the Pentagon would take less than a week to get the weapons to Ukraine, contingent upon their storage locations.
