Amid Threat From Russia, Ukraine Asks US for Weapons, Including “Afghan” Ones

Senate Republican leader says Biden should supply Ukraine with “any weapons.”

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov asked Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to provide Ukraine with weapons systems, in particular part of the American military equipment intended for Afghanistan before the fall of Kabul. This is reported by Foreign Policy citing a Ukrainian defense official. 

What Reznikov requested

Austin and Reznikov met at the Pentagon in mid-November. The Ukrainian minister needed weapons systems to change Russia's calculations for the start of another invasion of Ukraine. 

According to the publication, Reznikov's list includes support for air and naval defense and electronic warfare — potentially a shield against devastating bombardment and electromagnetic attacks. 

A Ukrainian defense representative said that after Reznikov's visit to Kyiv, American defense officials were sent to assess the country's air defense needs. The Pentagon declined to provide details of Ukraine's request for additional military assistance or of discussions on the US side. 

Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Anton Semelrot told the publication: “We continue to work closely with Ukraine to assess the specific requirements of the Ukrainian armed forces.” Neither the State Department nor the National Security Council commented on this article. 

The publication spoke with nearly 20 officials from the US, Ukraine and Europe, as well as congressional aides and regional experts, and reported that the Biden administration is forced to reckon with the “ghost of a full-scale war in Europe,” while some American officials fear that Washington and its allies are making the same miscalculations as in 2014. 

Foreign Policy has a letter from Republican congressmen stating that “there is no confidence that enough is being done, and that the White House is more likely to make concessions to Putin than to support US partners and allies.” 

What the Republican leader said

Meanwhile, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said that US President Joe Biden should supply Ukraine with “any weapons they believe they need” to protect itself from a potential Russian invasion. 

McConnell's statement came on the eve of a video conference between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the growing Russian military presence on Ukraine's border. The Republican leader urged Biden to supply Ukrainians with any weapons beyond the mostly defensive arms the US has provided in the past. 

McConnell said: “Although Ukraine is not in NATO, all of our NATO allies are thoroughly frightened by Russian troops on Ukraine's border.” 

According to the State Department, the US has provided Ukraine with more than $4.6 billion in assistance since 2014. In March, the US announced a $125 million defense package for Ukraine. 

Statement by Germany's future chancellor

Germany's future chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed concern over the movement of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine. He said that security and cooperation in Europe are underpinned by principles agreed upon within the framework of détente policy, which remain in force to this day. 

Olaf Scholz
Germany's future chancellor

This includes the inviolability of borders. It is very important that no one leafs through history textbooks in order to be able to redraw borders. 

According to him, the troop movements on the border with Ukraine are being watched with great concern from Germany, Europe and the US: “Therefore, it must be very, very clear that the situation will become unacceptable if a threat to Ukraine arises there.” 

Intelligence data

According to Ukrainian intelligence, contrary to agreements, Russia is pulling additional self-propelled artillery systems, tanks and infantry fighting vehicles toward the line of contact in certain areas. 

“The Russian Federation continues measures to prevent stabilization of the situation in the area of the Joint Forces Operation. To this end, the command of the Russian occupation forces' operational group is reinforcing units near the line of contact in certain areas with additional 122mm self-propelled artillery systems, tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, in violation of agreements on withdrawing heavy weapons,” reports the press service of the Defense Ministry's main intelligence directorate. 

Also at forward positions, the militants have increased the number of sniper pairs. Snipers from units and subunits of the first (Donetsk) and second (Luhansk) army corps, who are not involved in combat missions, are undergoing training drills under the guidance of regular Russian Armed Forces personnel.