Biden instructs Pentagon to increase arms supplies to Ukraine after Russia's Christmas attack
Photo: Wade Vandervort
US President Joe Biden responded to the massive Russian attack on Ukraine on the morning of December 25 and assured that he had ordered the Pentagon to increase the supply of weapons to Ukraine. According to the American leader, in recent months, the United States has provided Ukraine with hundreds of air defense missiles, "and even more are on the way."
This is reported in Biden's statement.
According to the statement, the Russian invaders launched a coordinated attack on Ukrainian fuel and energy infrastructure on the night of December 25. The attack included a range of missiles from different sources, including air, ground, and sea, as well as Shahed attack drones and other simulated drones.
On Christmas night, the Defense Forces destroyed 55 cruise missiles, four guided aircraft missiles, and 54 enemy drones from 184 air targets launched by Russia.
Biden called the morning shelling on Christmas Day "outrageous." The goal was to cut off Ukrainians' access to heat and electricity in the winter and jeopardize the security of the energy system, the politician said.
Biden stressed that "the Ukrainian people deserve to live in peace and security."
"Let me be clear: the Ukrainian people deserve to live in peace and safety, and the United States and the international community must continue to stand with Ukraine until it triumphs over Russia's aggression," Biden said in a statement.
He also noted that the United States has provided Ukraine with hundreds of air defense missiles in recent months, with more on the way. In addition, he instructed the U.S. Department of Defense to increase weapons supplies.
"I have directed the Department of Defense to continue its surge of weapons deliveries to Ukraine, and the United States will continue to work tirelessly to strengthen Ukraine's position in its defense against Russian forces," the US president concluded.
It should be noted that the team of the newly elected US President Donald Trump also reacted to the missile strike by the Russian Federation on Christmas. In particular, the future special representative for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, stated that this attack was a brutal one.
"Christmas should be a time of peace, yet Ukraine was brutally attacked on Christmas Day. Launching large-scale missile and drone attacks on the day of the Lord's birth is wrong," Kellogg wrote on the social network X.
According to the head of the Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands, Caspar Veldkamp, the Russian Federation's strike on Ukraine on Christmas proves that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin does not want peace. On the contrary, he is interested in destroying Ukraine.
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Support from the United States, including weapons, ammunition, and other equipment, is a critical factor in Ukraine's ability to confront Russia's aggression. A reduction in this assistance could severely impact Ukraine's capacity for active defense and adequate territorial protection.
A few days ago, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, during a meeting with the head of Ukraine's Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, stated that the US would provide an "avalanche" of military aid until the end of President Joe Biden's administration. This aid includes large-scale deliveries of weapons, equipment, and ammunition and new sanctions against Russia.
It is worth noting that in early November, the United States announced a $425 million military aid package for Ukraine. The package includes missiles, ammunition, armored vehicles, and anti-tank weapons.
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Ukraine could face a critical situation if the US reduces military aid. The resources currently available from Ukrainian production are insufficient to resist Russian aggression effectively.
Additionally, there are concerns that the US may not allocate more than $6.5 billion in funds for weapons deliveries to Ukraine before the end of Joe Biden's presidential term.
Last week, it was revealed that President Joe Biden had requested Congress to approve an additional $24 billion for military aid to Ukraine and to replenish American weapons stockpiles already sent to Kyiv.
However, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson has stated that he will not bring President Biden's proposed additional aid package for Ukraine to a vote.
