The Pentagon has a massive infusion of military aid for Ukraine “ready to go,” U.S. officials said, once a long-delayed funding measure, which is expected to pass the House this weekend, clears the Senate next week and President Biden signs it into law.

The Defense Department, which has warned that Ukraine would steadily cede more ground to Russian forces and face staggering casualties without urgent action on Capitol Hill, began assembling the assistance package well before the coming votes in a bid to speed the process, these people said.

One official, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the Biden administration’s planning, said that once the $95 billion foreign aid bill is finalized, it would take less than a week for some of the weapons to reach the battlefield, depending on where they are stored. The legislation includes about $60 billion for Ukraine, with most of the remainder slated for Israel and U.S. partners in Asia.

MBFC
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    • OttoVonNoob@lemmy.ca
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      7 months ago

      I don’t think they are going to lose. But at the very least it’s good to negotiate from a position of power. IE a banks going to loan money to someone with a job vs a homeless dude…

    • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      What the others said.

      Also because they need equipment not cash. If the US would give them money, Ukraine would still have to get equipment somewhere.

      Now the US is clearing out old inventory that is at the end of its shelf life (explosives have a shelf life) and the Ukranians use them to blow up Russian military instead of the US paying a company to dismantle the munitions.

      The US charges the Ukranians current book value (low) and reimburses the military from the aid budget. The US military then uses this extra cash to buy new toys.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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      7 months ago

      Russia’s war with Ukraine has done far more to weaken the Russian military than anything during the entire Cold War. Including the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

      Why wouldn’t America send Ukraine equipment?

                • xor@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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                  7 months ago

                  They’re literally getting invaded by Russia in a defensive war for the very existence of their country. That’s not “for the west”.

                  Regardless, whether you look at it as a moral duty to the Ukrainian people, or as a self interested opportunity to protect Europe and weaken Russia, funding Ukraine is an efficient investment.

                  • capem@startrek.website
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                    7 months ago

                    They would’ve surrendered by now if not for the belief they could win with western equipment.

                    Did you think they were going to take back Crimea? At what point do you acknowledge you may be a victim of propaganda?

                    Answer: never. Propaganda is only the tool of the enemy, always. Lol.

                    funding Ukraine is an efficient investment.

                    That’s not “for the west”.

                    Funding Ukraine is an efficient investment for the west…

                    Might wanna brush up on your reading comprehension.

                • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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                  7 months ago

                  I’m not sure why you think that’s funny.

                  Is that the sort of thing that makes you laugh? People dying?

        • xor@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          7 months ago

          I know right, those poor conscripted russians getting slaughtered on the frontline for Putin’s imperialism

          • capem@startrek.website
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            7 months ago

            What about the poor conscripted Ukrainians getting slaughtered because they’ve been duped into thinking they can win?

            You don’t ever think about those, huh.

    • Apollo42@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      Something a lot of US fascists asked in the first few years of WW2 when it came to arms shipments to Britain!

    • AnAnonymous@lemm.ee
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      7 months ago

      To make loans to them if they eventually “win” or they make an agreement with the russians after the war, and to have an US muppet in the area?