By The New York Times (World News) | Created at 2024-10-22 17:35:09 | Updated at 2024-10-22 19:18:26
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The move, confirmed by a Pentagon official, signifies a change in U.S. policy aimed at shoring up Ukraine’s ability to fight the war against Russia with its own weapons.
Oct. 22, 2024, 1:26 p.m. ET
The United States has agreed to give Ukraine $800 million in military aid that will go toward manufacturing long-range drones to use against Russian troops, Ukraine’s leader said on Monday, fulfilling a longtime Ukrainian goal of getting Washington to buy weapons from manufacturers in Ukraine instead of primarily in America.
A Pentagon official, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue, confirmed the move, which signifies a change in U.S. policy aimed at shoring up Ukraine’s ability to fight the war with its own weapons and on its own terms.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said in a briefing with journalists Monday that the money was just the first U.S. disbursement for Kyiv’s weapons production and long-range capabilities.
The decision to support long-range drone production in Ukraine may be a kind of consolation prize for Mr. Zelensky, who — despite repeated pleas — has so far failed to convince Western partners to lift restrictions on using their long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russia.
The decision also shows a change in tactics for the West.
The United States has given more than $61 billion in security aid to Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. But it has long resisted giving money directly to Ukraine for weapons, instead portraying its support for Kyiv in the war as a way to support American companies and minimize the potential for corruption. U.S. military aid packages to Ukraine have shrunk recently, partly because of concerns about dwindling Pentagon stockpiles.
In April, Denmark became the first country to join a Ukrainian campaign called Manufacturing Freedom, which aims to raise $10 billion for the production of Ukrainian weapons. The Danish government agreed to give about $28.5 million to buy weapons from Ukrainian manufacturers. Canada and the Netherlands later signed on.
