The US Senate has adopted a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine. It will allow the rapid shipment of new ammunition.
The American Senate validated this Tuesday, April 23, 2024, an envelope of 61 billion dollars to help Ukraine against the Russian army. It is the fruit of long months of negotiations. “Finally, finally, finally. Tonight, after more than six months of hard work, and many twists and turns, America is sending a message to the whole world: we will not turn our backs on you” welcomed the leader of the Democrats in the Senate , Chuck Schumer. The Republican leader in Congress ended up supporting the resumption of aid: “I would rather send munitions to Ukraine than send our boys to fight.”
Weapons sent “this week”
Interrupted for several weeks, American military assistance should therefore resume almost immediately, within “the coming days,” the Pentagon spokesperson declared on Tuesday. “This vote strengthens America’s role as a beacon of democracy and leader of the free world,” reacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on X (formerly Twitter). For his part, the President of the United States, Joe Biden announced that he would promulgate the text. “I will sign this bill and address the American people as soon as it hits my desk tomorrow (Wednesday), so that we can begin sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine this week,” he said. he indicates.
Long-range munitions and missiles
If this aid plan of 61 billion euros validated by the United States constitutes fundamental psychological aid for the Ukrainian heads, it is, without a doubt, a significant military reinforcement in the war that kyiv is waging. and Moscow. “Shells, munitions, long-range missiles, anti-aircraft defense missiles will arrive,” explains political scientist and historian specializing in the United States, Nicole Bacharan in the columns of franceinfo.
“This will mainly be stocks of artillery ammunition, which the Ukrainians lacked to face the Russian attacks. Certain batteries, certain cannons could only fire five or six shots each day” specifies the historian Cédric Mas, still on franceinfo. On the other hand, it is unlikely to see thousands of combat planes land on Ukrainian soil.
27 billion euros for the purchase of weapons
The total amount of aid released initially consists of $23 billion intended to replace American weapons and stocks going to Ukraine. Next, $27 billion will finance the purchase of weapons for Ukraine. Finally, nearly 10 billion dollars will constitute non-military aid according to the Ukrainian media Hromadske. The delivery of ammunition thanks to American aid could allow Kiev to “perhaps take more risks on the front, because, until then, each time it was in a difficult situation, it preferred to give up ground ” concedes Cédric Mas.
Strategically, as indicated by General Jérôme Pellistrandi at franceinfo, “artillery munitions, including Hilares rocket launchers which allow firing in depth, and of course everything linked to ground-air defense” has become an absolute emergency for Ukraine, particularly since the blocking of American aid in Congress, and the diversion of part of this aid to Israel since October 7, 2023, which has therefore not benefited Kiev. The delivery of these munitions could help improve the defense of Ukrainian territory, an area difficult to defend, particularly against air attacks, due to its size.