Post by demos on Dec 22, 2022 15:08:24 GMT
So... Biden said something interesting about NATO and arms supplies during his joint press conference yesterday. I'm going to post the entire exchange for context and highlight the interesting part:
Source
<excerpt> Q Olga Koshelenko, 1+1 tv channel. When the full-scale invasion started, U.S. officials said that Ukraine cannot receive Patriots because, as you said, it might be unnecessary escalation. And now it is happening. Right now, today, it is happening. And now Ukraine desperately needs more capabilities, including long-range missiles — ATACMS.
Maybe I sound naïve, but can we make long story short and give Ukraine all capabilities it needs and liberate all territories rather sooner than later? Thank you.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, th- — his answer is yes. (Points to President Zelenskyy.) (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: (Laughs.) I agree. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Let me be straightforward with you here. Look, the fact is that it’s important to remember that before Russia invaded, we had dedicated an enormous amount of security assistance to Ukraine. And — and we’ve given Ukraine what they needed when they needed to defend themselves. And since the invasion, that has resulted in more than $20 billion, in terms of security assistance.
Just today, I approved another $1.8 billion in additional assistance to Ukraine for it to succeed on the battlefield. And we’re focused on working with allies and partners to generate capability in four key areas:
Air defense. As kno- — as we know today, the Patriot is the best of that.
Secondly is to — and we’re looking to do more. We provided hundreds of advanced artillery systems and dozens — from dozens of countries.
Thirdly, we’ve worked with partners to get Ukraine tanks and other armored vehicles.
And fourthly, we’ve announced today another 200,000 rounds of additional ammunition.
Now, you say, “Why don’t we just give Ukraine everything there is to give?” Well, for two reasons. One, there’s an entire Alliance that is critical to stay with Ukraine. And the idea that we would give Ukraine material that is fundamentally different than is already going there would have a prospect of breaking up NATO and breaking up the European Union and the rest of the world.
We’re going to give Ukraine what it needs to be able to defend itself, to be able to succeed, and succeed in the battlefield.
And the other piece of this is, you may recall, one of the reasons why I have spent — well, I won’t tell you the calculation, but I’ve spent several hundred hours face-to-face with our European allies and the heads of state of those countries, and making the case as to why it was overwhelmingly in their interest that they continue to support Ukraine.
They understand it fully, but they’re not looking to go to war with Russia. They’re not looking for a third World War. And I think it can all be avoided by making sure that Ukraine is able to succeed in the battlefield. </excerpt>
Maybe I sound naïve, but can we make long story short and give Ukraine all capabilities it needs and liberate all territories rather sooner than later? Thank you.
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, th- — his answer is yes. (Points to President Zelenskyy.) (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: (Laughs.) I agree. (Laughter.)
PRESIDENT BIDEN: Let me be straightforward with you here. Look, the fact is that it’s important to remember that before Russia invaded, we had dedicated an enormous amount of security assistance to Ukraine. And — and we’ve given Ukraine what they needed when they needed to defend themselves. And since the invasion, that has resulted in more than $20 billion, in terms of security assistance.
Just today, I approved another $1.8 billion in additional assistance to Ukraine for it to succeed on the battlefield. And we’re focused on working with allies and partners to generate capability in four key areas:
Air defense. As kno- — as we know today, the Patriot is the best of that.
Secondly is to — and we’re looking to do more. We provided hundreds of advanced artillery systems and dozens — from dozens of countries.
Thirdly, we’ve worked with partners to get Ukraine tanks and other armored vehicles.
And fourthly, we’ve announced today another 200,000 rounds of additional ammunition.
Now, you say, “Why don’t we just give Ukraine everything there is to give?” Well, for two reasons. One, there’s an entire Alliance that is critical to stay with Ukraine. And the idea that we would give Ukraine material that is fundamentally different than is already going there would have a prospect of breaking up NATO and breaking up the European Union and the rest of the world.
We’re going to give Ukraine what it needs to be able to defend itself, to be able to succeed, and succeed in the battlefield.
And the other piece of this is, you may recall, one of the reasons why I have spent — well, I won’t tell you the calculation, but I’ve spent several hundred hours face-to-face with our European allies and the heads of state of those countries, and making the case as to why it was overwhelmingly in their interest that they continue to support Ukraine.
They understand it fully, but they’re not looking to go to war with Russia. They’re not looking for a third World War. And I think it can all be avoided by making sure that Ukraine is able to succeed in the battlefield. </excerpt>
An odd statement since earlier in the press conference he said he wasn't worried about holding NATO together because he's never seen it more united.
I have seen a few people on Twitter suggest this was a veiled reference to Olaf Scholz and Germany.
And while Biden may be making the case that NATO and EU allies continue to support Ukraine, limitations on that support are developing (have been for some time):
