U.S. support includes lethal weapons, Ukraine minister says

The United States sees lethal weapons as part of its
aid to Ukraine, the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ukraine announced on its
website on Feb. 2. The statement comes as part of a press release regarding the
Feb. 1. phone call between Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Secretary of
State Antony Blinken.

Blinken also emphasized that American sanctions
against Russia regarding both Donbas and Crimea should stay in effect “until
Moscow fully implemented its commitments on the peaceful settlement of the
conflict.” The Secretary also pointed to the need to fight disinformation and
“hybrid threats”.

James Hydzik: The Biden
administration is the first American government to make aid in the form of
lethal weapons a part of its policy toward Ukraine, though it is not the first
to send weapons. We do not expect the policy to change, inter alia, over the
course of the next four years.

We do not see Blinken’s comment on combating
information warfare as the direct impetus for President Zelensky’s closing of
three pro-Russian media channels on Feb. 2. However, knowing that the Americans
were clearly on the side of removing disinformation is useful considering the
likelihood of accusations of stifling free speech.