U.S. military aid incoming, and unleashed

The U.S. is sending the next load of military supplies
to Ukraine, Pentagon spokesman John F. Kirby told reporters on Dec. 8. The
shipment, which will leave next week, is the last portion of the USD 60 million
security package announced in August 2021. Kirby stated that the package, which
as a whole includes Javelin anti-tank missiles, can be used “as the Ukrainian
government sees fit, but only for defensive purposes.”

Also on Dec. 8, the U.S. House of
Representatives  voted for the National Defense Authorization Act for
2022, which includes USD 300 million in defense aid for Ukraine. The compromise
bill does not include a requirement, introduced by the Republicans, to
immediately sanction the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

James Hydzik: The ongoing
flow of U.S. military aid is nothing new. However, the recognition from the
Pentagon that the Ukrainian government can use it as it sees fit is an
important step. When they were first brought to Ukraine, the Javelins were to
be warehoused in the west of the country, far from any potential conflict.