The American aid package, now signed into law by US President Joe Biden, comes at a time when Ukrainian soldiers are rationing a fistful of bullets per day to hold off Russian forces who are desperate to make progress before aid arrives.
After months of delay, a large majority in the US House of Representatives approved $60.0bn to support the Ukrainian military in its effort to defend its territory against Russia’s illegal invasion.
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This aid will supply Ukrainian forces with the ammunition they need into the next year when some analysts believe Ukraine may have another opportunity to launch another counteroffensive.
Within the $60bn package, $48.3bn comes from the US Department of Defense, of which $34.2bn is expected to support operation and maintenance efforts.
Otherwise, $13.3bn will go towards the procurement of ammunition, missiles, and other items critical to Ukraine’s defence.
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Much of this aid will help to replenish US weapons stockpiles, and in many cases will lead the US to acquire more advanced systems.
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By GlobalDataThis aid package is also expected to help the US come closer to its target for artillery production.
Although the vote received more than 300 votes in the House of Representatives, fewer than half of House Republicans backed the bill.
Now, multiple Republicans have called for a motion to vacate House Speaker Mike Johnson for bringing this package to the floor and fulfilling a major foreign policy goal of the Democratic Party.
Even so, it seems unlikely that any major leadership changes will occur because most Republicans still support Johnson and he has shown Democrats that he is willing to work with them on some issues.
The US is not the only place that has announced new aid for Ukraine in recent weeks.
Indeed, the UK is also making a strong show of support for Ukraine with its largest military support package for Ukraine yet, which will include 400 vehicles, more than 1,600 missiles, four million rounds of ammunition, and an additional $620m in military funding, which will increase the country’s 2024 contribution to more than $3.7bn.
In addition, the UK government’s decision to increase defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2030 will ensure its defence industry is moving at a fast pace to accommodate both British and Ukrainian needs.
The UK’s Labour Party is expected to maintain this level of support for Ukraine and defence spending if it wins the next general election in the country.
American and British aid comes at a time when other Ukrainian allies are rallying to support their neighbour.
The Czech Republic has spent recent weeks sourcing 300,000 122mm Soviet-standard rounds of artillery from non-EU countries to resupply Ukraine, costing approximately $1.5bn.
While this might sound small compared to the incoming American aid, this aid was critical to the defence of multiple Ukrainian cities as Ukraine’s supplies dwindled.
This aid comes in the wake of France’s tougher posture against Russian President Vladimir Putin, with its announcement to spend $3.2bn on military aid to Ukraine this year.
While this aid is impressive, it will not amount to a Ukrainian victory without strategic clarity and fewer restrictions on the way military aid is used.
The Biden administration was repeatedly hesitant to grant the Ukrainians access to various technologies that would have helped them to counter the Russians at earlier points in the war.
To maintain the moral high ground the Ukrainians should largely avoid attacking civilian populations in Russia, but Biden shouldn’t discourage attacks on Russian critical infrastructure.
It is unclear exactly how much impact this impressive level of spending will have on the battlefield.
To go to war is to roll the iron dice; advanced equipment, split-second decisions, accidents, tactics, and strategies all play a role in determining the outcome of any war.
Even so, top officials in the Biden administration believe their package will be enough to keep Ukraine fighting for the rest of the year – something they were not so confident about before the aid made it to President Biden’s desk.
Ukraine will have to continue to sacrifice and die for their country if they are to win this war, but the outpouring of aid from across the globe should help to maintain high morale in a dark time.
