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Lindsey Graham in Ukraine: "The Russians are dying... it's the best money we've ever spent."

Is Ukraine winning? Is Russia winning? What exactly are the battlelines and how have they changed? The answers are murky at best, though it’s at least clear that Russia’s initial gambit hasn’t gone to plan. The word “stalemate” comes to mind given the stagnation on the eastern front of the war, where most of the fighting has occurred. That could change in the spring, as both sides have promised coming offensives. Regardless, what’s not in question is that Americans have been incredibly generous in the amount of money and war materials that have been given to Ukraine to help them...

The Ukrainian Embassy hosted a reception last week in honor of the 31st anniversary of the country’s armed services. Events like this are part of the social calendar of Washington’s smart set, with hobnobbing diplomats, think tankers, journalists, and US officials. Guests took photos with the Ukrainian ambassador. Even Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley showed up. (snip) (snip)No one wanted to talk about the party invite, however. A senior official from the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington confirmed that the companies’ logos appeared on the invitation but declined to speak on the record. They directed me to...

The Pentagon is considering a Boeing proposal to supply Ukraine with cheap, small precision bombs fitted onto abundantly available rockets, allowing Kyiv to strike far behind Russian lines as the West struggles to meet demand for more arms. U.S. and allied military inventories are shrinking, and Ukraine faces an increasing need for more sophisticated weapons as the war drags on. Boeing’s proposed system, dubbed Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), is one of about a half-dozen plans for getting new munitions into production for Ukraine and America’s Eastern European allies, industry sources said. Although the United States has rebuffed requests for...

A much-touted EU fund meant to help countries replace weapons shipped to Ukraine is increasingly unable to cover an influx of reimbursement requests — and it hasn’t even sent out its first payment. Days after Russia’s war began, the EU set up a €‎500 million pot, encouraging countries to arm Kyiv and ask the EU to foot the bill. After looking at the receipts it received, Brussels determined it could cover about 85 percent of the costs, according to estimates shared by three diplomats. Then the EU authorized an even bigger pot — eventually totaling €1.5 billion. That’s when the...

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is the kind of military alliance the Founding Fathers warned about.Its entangling nature puts America at risk of entering potentially dangerous conflicts where no pressing national interest is at stake. Just look at the present Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Many policymakers in Washington believe that a Slav-on-Slav conflict thousands of miles away somehow involves a critical national interest. In reality, what guides the DC Swamp’s interest in this conflict is the desire to debilitate Russia and make it submit to the liberal hegemonic order. DC is committed to this goal irrespective of the massive risks its entails....

President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday after a deluge of Russian missiles targeted cities across Ukraine, condemning the strikes and pledging continued US security assistance “including advanced air defense systems.” During the call, a White House statement said, Biden “expressed his condemnation of Russia’s missile strikes across Ukraine, including in Kyiv, and conveyed his condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured in these senseless attacks. President Biden pledged to continue providing Ukraine with the support needed to defend itself, including advanced air defense systems.” The White House did not specify which air...

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to call up 300,000 reservists should prod the West to send the longer-range artillery and more technologically advanced weapons that Kyiv will need to press its advantage in the harsh winter months ahead, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister said Wednesday. Volodymyr Havrylov’s list is topped by the ATACMS, a missile that can outrange the artillery rockets Ukraine is currently using, and fighter jets, which Washington has been reluctant to provide out of fear that Russia would escalate the nearly seven-month-old war. “I think after today's announcement [by] Putin, we are closer to a political decision here...

“I will be pushing for at least $12 billion in aid for Ukraine in the budget so they can continue to win the war effort,” he added.Ukraine is expected to dominate discussion at the United Nations General Assembly starting Monday in Manhattan — perfect timing, Schumer said, to reaffirm to the U.S. commitment to beating back Russia.

The military-industrial complex continues to grow with the proxy war. The annual Future Force Capabilities Conference and Exhibition hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) will feature none other than Zelensky as their keynote speaker, as well as his minister of defense, Oleksii Reznikov. Everyone in attendance is directly profiting off of the war. The IRS deems the NDIA to be a nonprofit organization when in fact, it is blatantly lobbying. Defense contractors need war, as do corrupt government officials who prosper off of pain. America has already provided Ukraine with over $15 billion since February, yet Zelensky is...

President Joe Biden warned Vladmir Putin to avoid using nuclear weapons as his forces are beaten back in Ukraine or face 'consequences.' In a preview for this Sunday's 60 Minutes, Scott Pelley asked the president what words he would have for his Russian counterpart if he is considering using chemical or tactical nuclear weapons in the Ukraine. Biden responded: 'Don't. Don't. Don't. You will change the face of war unlike anything since World War II.'

President Biden has once again warned President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia against using unconventional or nuclear weapons to try to turn the tide of the war in Moscow’s favor, saying that such an action would “change the face of war unlike anything since World War II.” Speaking in an interview with the CBS News program “60 Minutes” that is scheduled to air on Sunday, Mr. Biden said that the United States’ response would be “consequential,” though he declined to go into detail. “You think I would tell you if I knew exactly what it would be? Of course I’m...

WASHINGTON—The war in Ukraine has depleted American stocks of some types of ammunition and the Pentagon has been slow to replenish its arsenal, sparking concerns among U.S. officials that American military readiness could be jeopardized by the shortage. The U.S. has during the past six months supplied Ukraine with 16 U.S. rocket launchers, known as Himars, thousands of guns, drones, missiles and other equipment. Much of that, including ammunition, has come directly from U.S. inventory, depleting stockpiles intended for unexpected threats, defense officials say. One of the most lethal weapons the Pentagon has sent are howitzers that fire high-explosive 155mm...

The Defense Department has announced another package of security assistance for Ukraine, which will include additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, ammunition and a substantial number of Phoenix Ghost unmanned aerial systems. This latest package includes about $175 million in equipment pulled from existing U.S. military stocks through presidential drawdown authority and $95 million in equipment from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, or USAI fund, said a senior defense official during a background briefing at the Pentagon. Included in the latest presidential drawdown authority package are four additional HIMARS systems, which will give Ukraine a total of 16; four command...

The United States of America intends to assign a special name to the military mission in Ukraine and put an active American general at its head. This fact is direct evidence that Washington intends to switch to direct intervention, which may also mean the transfer of American military contingent to Ukraine in order to conduct special military operations, which significantly increases the escalation in the region. Information on this subject is published by The Wall Street Journal. As follows from the data presented, Washington will unite into a single mission and appoint a responsible high-ranking officer who will lead the...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden's administration is readying about $800 million of additional military aid to Ukraine and could announce it as soon as Friday, three sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.Biden would authorize the assistance using his Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows the president to authorize the transfer of excess weapons from U.S. stocks, the sources told Reuters. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that an announcement could slip into next week, cautioning that weapons packages can change in value before they are announced. The White House declined to comment.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., claimed this week that helping Ukraine fight off Russia is a “top priority” for both Democrats and Republicans.“I think we all agree the most important thing going on in the world right now is the war in Ukraine,” McConnell said after being asked about the House’s $40 billion aid package for Ukraine.McConell said he expects “substantial support” from his party for the package.“We’re going to try to process it as soon as possible,” he added.Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the No. 2 GOP leader in the Senate, agreed and predicted “a big vote over here”...

The United States and allies are starting to examine possible training for Ukrainian pilots as part of a long-term effort to potentially help Kyiv build a future Ukrainian air force, Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles "CQ" Brown told Reuters. With the West's provision of anti-aircraft weaponry, Ukraine has been able to prevent Russia from using its far more advanced air force to establish dominance in the skies since Moscow's invasion began on Feb. 24. Advertisement · Scroll to continue But Ukraine has also sought to move away from its dependence on Russian aircraft by securing U.S. fighter jets...

Rep. Matt Gaetz, the firebrand House Republican from Florida, said as much in a July 1 exchange with Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.). Answering a Tweet from Gallego that said “Fact is if the Republicans take over the House in 2022 US support to Ukraine will come to a halt,” Gaetz replied, “Ruben is correct.”At a recent rally in Anchorage, Alaska, Trump riffed on the cost so far, misstating the amount spent.“Like with Ukraine, we put up $60 billion and Europe put up $5, 6 [billion]? OK?” he said, drawing boos from the crowd. (Through early July, Congress has authorized about...

But Russia has adjusted during the second phase of the war by hiding its men behind its fearsome artillery. “Russian artillery has been the decisive factor, but only because it’s had to be the decisive factor,” says Mason Clark, a senior analyst and Russia team lead at the Institute for the Study of War. Russia has at least 10 times as many artillery and missile systems as Ukraine, and in some places on the front line the disparity is closer to 20 to 1, former Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk says. With a range of hundreds of miles Russian missiles can...