Trump approves first U.S. government supply of lethal defensive weapons for Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump signed on Dec. 12 the U.S.
defense budget, which includes the first supply of lethal, defensive weapons as
part of USD 350 mln in military aid earmarked for Ukraine, as reported by Voice
of America. It also authorized for the first time assistance to bolster
Ukraine’s naval capabilities, which were severely degraded following Russia’s
seizure of Crimea.

The specific weapons to be disbursed include air and
coastal defense radars, naval mine and counter-mine capabilities, and littoral
and coastal defense craft, said a statement by U.S. Senator Rob Portman and
founder of the Ukraine Senate Caucus. “These additions reflect the Ukrainian
military’s most pressing needs that have not been covered under previous
authorizations, such as anti-tank weapons, secure communications and
counter-artillery radar,” the statement said.

The funds will also be used to transport Ukrainian
soldiers to U.S. hospitals and pay for their rehabilitation, teach Ukrainian
medics rehabilitation methods, as well as “improving the capabilities of our
country’s air and naval forces,” Voice of America said, citing the Ukrainian
Embassy in Washington.

Zenon Zawada: All the
hysteria generated by the Western establishment media, as well as the Ukrainian
mass media, about a Trump presidency being the end of U.S. support for Ukraine
has proven hollow. Not only has Trump maintained all the measures imposed by
his predecessor against Russia, but he has approved the expansion of sanctions,
as well as the first lethal defensive weapons that Ukraine had been clamoring
for.

Reports so far haven’t confirmed whether the
much-discussed Javelin anti-tank missiles will be part of the aid offered by
the U.S. But Senator Portman’s statement indicates it’s quite possible and it won’t
be a precedent. U.S. companies are already supplying the Ukrainian
military with armaments.

The official introduction of lethal defensive weapons
from the U.S. raises the risk of Russia responding with escalated military
aggression in Donbas. Although the conventional wisdom in Washington is that
Russia will back down in the event of an expensive, escalating arms race, the
events of recent years show that the Putin administration will go to extreme
lengths to ensure this territory returns to the Russian sphere.

Or at minimum, the Russians are committed to
ensuring that this territory is never integrated into Euro-Atlantic structures,
which they see as a security threat of the highest order. So we don’t see the
introduction of lethal, defensive weapons from the U.S. as being conducive for
peace, nor in pressuring the Russians to surrender in this conflict.