US, West Scramble To Arm Ukraine

New Delhi: The US and other NATO countries are rushing to supply arms to Ukraine to fight Russia since the war began on February 24.

The US has cleared military hardware worth $350 million for Ukraine, which includes Javelin antitank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, small arms and ammunition. With this, US military aid to Ukraine has touched $1 billion over the past year and over $2.5 billion since 2014.

Reports quoted a Pentagon official as saying that out of the $350 million, “we have already delivered to the Ukrainians $240 million worth of that package”.

US is also sending thousands of troops to NATO states, but President Joe Biden has made clear that “our forces are not engaged and will not engage in conflict with Russian forces in Ukraine”.

The European Union (EU) has pledged arms worth $503 million, which include air defence systems, anti-tank weapons, ammunition and other military equipment.

Germany, reversing a ban on supplying lethal weapons to a conflict zone, is sending 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles.

With Western aircraft staying away from Ukraine’s airspace, which is now controlled by Russian fighter jets, much of the arms and ammunition that Western nations are sending are being deposited at Ukraine’s borders, from where they are transported into the country through land routes.

According to reports, a lot of the arms consignments are being collected in Poland, which shares a 535-km-long border with Ukraine, after Hungary refused to allow war weapons through its territory.

Military strategists are, of course, factoring in fears that a desperate Russia could attack the military convoys before they reach the Ukrainian border.