Press
The White House is working on new plans for the war in Ukraine. This specifically concerns the F-16 fighter jets and tanks.
Washington – White House officials are currently working on plans to allow the American defense industry to send representatives to Ukraine. The news channel reported CNN on Tuesday (25 June). The American companies will then help Ukraine on site to maintain the weapons systems and military equipment supplied by the USA.
CNN stressed that the proposal was President Joe Biden has not yet been submitted to the White House – and has not yet been approved by him. However, the broadcaster reported that the change would represent another major shift in the US stance on its support for Ukraine. “We have not made a decision yet and it is premature to discuss it,” a Biden administration official told reporters. The White House official also said the president remains firmly opposed to any proposal to send US troops to Ukraine.
F-16 fighter jets soon to be delivered for the Ukraine war require ongoing on-site maintenance
US officials said KyivPostthat stationing U.S. contractors in Ukraine would mean that maintenance and repair of high-value equipment could be carried out much more quickly. The F-16 fighter jets that Ukraine will soon receive would require almost nonstop routine work to keep them in the air.
Before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the United States withdrew all military personnel involved in training or other support for the Ukrainian armed forces. Washington has since worked hard to make clear that the U.S. military and other officials have no direct involvement in combat operations. The State Department has also explicitly warned U.S. citizens against traveling to Ukraine since the beginning of the war. In the event of damage, U.S.-supplied military equipment currently has to be transported to Poland, Romania or another NATO country for repairs.
Maintenance of F-16 fighter jets: Support via online chat is not sufficient in the long term
Even though representatives of the US defense industry can currently provide online support for regular maintenance work, there are certain limitations. This type of support requires a lot of time and resources. In addition, support via the Internet means that important weapons systems remain out of service for longer. US experts on site could speed up repairs immensely.
The trigger for the change of heart in the US government in recent months was the CNN-Report, the Russian successes on the battlefield. These were also made difficult by the seven-month suspension of American aid by the US Congress would have been possible.
After making proactive decisions to support Ukraine in the past, Washington now has the opportunity to send defense contractors to Ukraine. Washington’s previous concessions included Biden’s agreement to allow Kyiv to attack targets inside Russia near the border city of Kharkiv – a request the US had previously rejected. The US eased its restrictions last week when National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said US weapons could be used to attack Moscow’s forces anywhere along the Ukrainian-Russian border.
Ukraine expert: Much more targeted attempt to help the country
US officials made it clear that sending US contractors will only be possible if appropriate threat mitigation plans are developed. There will not be a large number of contractors in Ukraine, as in Iraq or Afghanistan. The decision would still be a much more targeted and thoughtful attempt to support Ukraine in the country, says Alex Vindman. Vindman is the former director for European affairs on the National Security Council of former President Donald Trump.
Loud CNN and KyivPost Vindman has been pushing the Biden administration for nearly two years to allow the use of defense contractors. Trump’s former Eurasian expert also said the White House had been working on the plan since the beginning of the year. “Ukraine is an ally,” Vindman told the American news channel. “The US has a strong, critical national security interest in supporting Ukraine and there are numerous measures in place to mitigate the risk.”
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