As the Russian military operation in Ukraine has neutralized most of the Ukrainian defense system, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, lamented that they have been left “on their own” despite the support of some nations. He now sees no guarantee of Ukraine finally joining NATO.
The Ukrainian president’s speech seems directed at the position taken by the United States and the European Union, since neither of the two has expressed any disposition to a military confrontation with Russia. Both the EU and the US, as well as the UK, have only limited their scope of action to the application of “tough sanctions.”
Nonetheless, a report issued by the Center for Eastern Studies shows that the United States and several NATO countries have been equipping the Ukrainian army militarily since 2014. Hence, despite not wanting to have a direct confrontation with Russia, both NATO and the US have influenced the outcome of the events in the Donbas, where thousands of civilians have been massacred since the aftermath of the Maidan Coup. This year weapons supply to Ukraine rose steadily.
The United States, the United Kingdom, the Baltic states, the Czech Republic and Poland have all delivered arms and ammunition to Kiev free of charge. They also reinforced ground forces in the region. Countries on NATO’s eastern flank handed over new as well as post-Soviet military hardware and equipment to the Ukrainian armed forces.
The reestablishment of the Ukrainian navy has been carried out with the support of Turkey and the United Kingdom.
The arms deliveries and military aid by the United States to Ukraine can be listed as follows:
- A $2.7 billion “investment” for training and equipment. The Biden administration increased delivery of short-range defensive weapons and supplied bulletproof vests, vehicles (including 230 Humvees), thermal and night vision equipment, heavy engineering equipment, advanced radios, patrol boats, rations, tents, anti-mortar radar, uniforms, and first aid kits.
- In 2017 the US conducted a $41 million commercial sale of sniper rifles.
- In 2018 a $47 million transfer of 210 Javelin anti-tank missiles with 39 launchers.
- In 2019 the shipment of 150 missiles with 10 launchers, for $39 million, plus a delivery of 5 former US Coast Guard Island-class patrol boats.
- In 2020 Washington also agreed to provide Kiev with Mark VI patrol boats.
- In 2021 additional military aid of $60 million, plus previous contract fulfillments of $125 million and $150 million, were granted plus a possible transfer of five Mi-17 helicopters from the Department of Defense.
Additionally, European military assistance can be listed as follows:
- Lithuania has transferred equipment worth €6 million.
- The United Kingdom, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Poland have all sent weapons and ammunition to Ukraine; Denmark declared its willingness to do so as well.
- In January 2022, the UK transferred 2,000 NLAW short-range anti-tank weapons to Kiev.
- Estonia transferred Javelin anti-tank missiles.
- Latvia and Lithuania shipped Stinger air defense systems.
- From 2014 to 2020, Czech Republic weapons exports to Ukraine were worth €48 million.
- Polish exports for the same period amounted to €122 million.
In addition to the abovementioned weapons supply, Ukraine also bought other military equipment. Nonetheless, all the acquired and donated arms and equipment only have ground force properties and cannot contain the force of a military operation like the one Russia is currently carrying out. These was already known by all those countries that had supplied weapons to Ukraine.
Translated by Orinoco Tribune.