US to send ’emergency’ military aid to Ukraine

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced on Tuesday that the US would bypass Congress to provide a small package of emergency military aid to Ukraine, as his more permanent plan to aid Kiev has been stalled in Congress for several months.

“Today, on behalf of President Biden, I am announcing an emergency package of security assistance and $300 million in arms and equipment to meet some of Ukraine’s urgent needs,” Sullivan told reporters.

“The world is watching. The clock is ticking and we need to see action as quickly as possible.”

The $300 million (about €275 million) package will include artillery ammunition, Sullivan said. It is probably the most requested item from Ukraine at present, and given the dramatic increase in use over the past two years, NATO countries’ stockpiles are depleting.

Biden says emergency package ‘not enough’

The announcement came as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda were visiting the White House, calling for a more comprehensive fortification of NATO’s eastern flank.

“NATO must accept that if not today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, NATO must have greater operational capabilities on its eastern border,” Tusk told a Polish broadcaster before arriving in Washington.

Biden said during his meeting with Polish leaders on Tuesday that the emergency aid package “doesn’t do enough for Ukraine.”

Meanwhile, Duda called on all NATO members to increase their defense spending to 3%, while the current 2% target does not meet all members.

Both Poland and the US are more NATO members than the target. Official figures put US defense spending at about 3% of GDP, while NATO’s estimate for Poland is closer to 4%.