Ukrainian soldiers fire in the recently retaken Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Sept. 23.
Photo:
Kostiantyn Liberov/Associated Press
is claiming to annex pieces of Ukraine his troops now occupy, while threatening to use nuclear weapons if the war doesn’t go his way, so this is no time for Western democracies to go wobbly. The Biden Administration deserves credit for announcing another $1.1 billion in security assistance this week, but buried in the details is a warning about America’s ability to sustain a long war.
The Pentagon announced “the beginning of a contracting process” that will eventually deliver Ukraine more multi-mission radars, counter-unmanned aerial systems, tactical vehicles that tow weapons, and other gear. The U.S. will also procure 18 high mobility artillery rocket systems, known as Himars, to complement the 16 Ukraine is now using to excellent battlefield effect, particularly on Russian ammunition depots and logistics lines.
Yet the rocket systems and the associated ammunition won’t reach Ukraine for “a few years,” a senior defense official said. The package “underscores the U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine over the long term.” Telling friends we won’t cut and run as the fight drags on is welcome reassurance. It’s worth planning for a stronger and more modern Ukrainian military that may have to deter Russia even after Mr. Putin is gone.
But the Ukrainians need more rocket systems now, and the fastest route is for President Biden to draw down more from U.S. stocks. The defense official told reporters this package “in no way rules out us continuing to invest in their current force.”
But the U.S. has so far declined to offer the longest-range rockets that would pack the most battlefield punch, and by some press reports is slow rolling more modern tanks. This is a recipe for a stagnant winter of fighting, and looks driven not by a theory of victory but…
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