After his "sobering visit" to Kyiv, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken wants the White House to allow Ukraine to strike inside Russian territory with American-supplied arms, The New York Times (NYT) reported on May 22, citing undisclosed official sources.
"(Ukraine needs) to be able to fight back. And I think us trying to micromanage the effort there is not a good policy for us," said U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Some senior U.S. Republicans criticized the presidential administration's decision to direct military aid to Haiti from Pentagon stocks, claiming it could have otherwise been sent to Ukraine, Politico reported on May 21.
Ukraine recently said that Washington's ban meant Ukraine was unable to attack Russian forces as they were building up before crossing the border into Kharkiv Oblast in the renewed Russian offensive that began earlier in May.
Key developments on May 21: * General Staff confirms Russian missile ship Tsiklon struck in occupied Crimea * EU Council approves using Russian assets revenue to fund Ukraine * Politico: US may announce new military aid package for Ukraine this week * Reuters: Germany plans to up Ukraine military aid by 3.8 billion
The U.S. may announce a new military aid package for Ukraine later this week, Politico reported on May 20, citing two unnamed American officials.
Key developments on May 15: * Zelensky: Ukraine stabilizes situation in Kharkiv Oblast amid Russian offensive * General Staff: Russian forces 'partially pushed out' from Vovchansk * Ukraine deploys more forces to Kharkiv Oblast * Blinken: US to give Ukraine additional $2 billion in military financing * Source: Ukraine's military intelligence drones strike oil depot
The U.S. will provide Ukraine with an additional $2 billion in foreign military financing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on May 15.
"But all accounts are that they (Ukraine) continue to take measures to defend their territory," Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said, adding that the U.S. is going to do "everything we can to get them the critical munitions and supplies that they need."
Ukrainian lawmakers are trying to convince Washington to allow Kyiv to strike at Russian territory with U.S.-supplied weapons, saying the ban prevented them from attacking Russian troops amassing near Kharkiv Oblast, Politico reported on May 14.
Key developments on May 14: * Security Council secretary: Over 30,000 Russian troops involved in attack on Kharkiv Oblast * General Staff: Ukrainian soldiers 'change positions' near Lukiantsi village in Kharkiv Oblast * US State Department does not anticipate Russian breakthrough toward Kharkiv * Budanov expects Russia to launch new attack on Sumy
"If Russia or anyone else were to attack Ukraine, we will work with Ukraine immediately at the highest levels to coordinate how to help you beat back the threat," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who arrived in Ukraine by train early in the morning on May 14, hopes to "send a strong signal of reassurance to the Ukrainians who are obviously in a very difficult moment."
Without a doubt, there has been a cost in the "months-long delay in getting the supplementary budget request approved and the equipment sent out to Ukraine," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on May 12.
An autocratic regime like Russia can readily prioritize the expansion of its defense industries over economic well-being to sustain their military actions in Ukraine, along with help from Iran and North Korea, said Lt Gen. Steven L. Basham, U.S. Air Forces in Europe deputy commander.
U.S. President Joe Biden on May 10 authorized a $400 million defense aid package for Ukraine, according to a statement on the White House's website.
The U.S. is preparing to announce a military aid package for Ukraine worth $400 million on May 10, Politico reported, citing two unnamed American officials and obtained notification sent to Congress.
The U.S. will make more announcements on military aid to Ukraine "in the next few weeks," U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on May 9.
"We are working on other packages. I think you can expect to see us get back to the kind of tempo that we were at before we had this break in funding," U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters.
It is still "very early on" to see improvements on the frontline after the first batch of U.S. weapons started flowing to Ukraine, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told senators on May 8.
Congresswoman Victoria Spartz was among the 112 Republicans in Congress who voted against aid for Ukraine in April.
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries singled out Republican congresswoman and conspiracy theorist Marjorie Taylor Greene, who he characterized as leading the faction.
The American military battalion stationed in Lithuania will remain in the country indefinitely, not just until 2025 as previously planned, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said on May 2.
According to BBC, more than 30 Western-made armored vehicles were on display, including a U.S. Abrams tank.
The delivery of military aid to Ukraine continues, but the White House cannot comment on the timing and volume of deliveries due to operational security concerns, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on April 29.
Politico wrote that when Volodymyr Zelensky met Mike Johnson in the speaker's office last December, he provided him with a deadline for how long Ukraine could hold on without Washington's backing.
After months of delays and frustration, U.S. military aid is once again heading to Ukraine in significant quantities. Among the first to arrive will be a $1 billion package of weapons and equipment from U.S. stockpiles, the Pentagon announced on April 24. "This package will surge munitions, weapons,
Key developments on April 26: * US to allocate additional $6 billion in military aid to Ukraine * Source: Ukraine destroys Russian Ka-32 helicopter at Moscow airfield * Ukraine retrieves bodies of 140 fallen soldiers * El Pais: Spain to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine * US envoy to OSCE: Russian 'double-tap' attacks have killed
The U.S. will allocate $6 billion in military assistance for Kyiv under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on April 26.
The U.S. will provide Ukraine with a $1 billion military aid package, the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on April 26 before the beginning of the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting, also known as Ramstein format.
Ukraine is planning to discuss how to overcome problems that accumulated over the past six months while waiting for the passing of the U.S. aid package at the next Ramstein summit, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on April 25.
Russia could lower its level of diplomatic relations with the U.S. if confiscated frozen Russian assets are transferred to Ukraine, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russian state-controlled media on April 25.
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