Biden awaits clarification
US President Joe Biden has yet to decide to send Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine. According to The Washington Post, citing a senior US administration official,
Biden awaits clarification from the Pentagon on all issues related to the operation of air defense systems, legal subtleties and the possible impact of this step on the combat readiness of American troops.
“Weapons will come from American warehouses, but not from any active units,” the WP source said.
Earlier, citing its own sources, CNN reported that the US authorities have finished coordinating plans to send the Patriot complexes to Kiev. At the same time, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder said on 13 December that he could not yet report anything about the supply of these air defense systems to Ukraine.
Ukraine repeatedly wanted to hand over the MIM-104 Patriot, but until the last moment this issue was shelved. Western experts cite several reasons for this – fears of possible hijacking of the system by Russian troops, fears that critical technologies may be at Moscow’s disposal, and fear of discrediting the state identification system, and the risks associated with the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. Finally, it was believed by the Ukrainian crew that the development of Patriot air defense systems would take significant time.
Court not yet established
White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said the US administration continues to review a proposal to establish a tribunal to investigate Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
“As for the court, we are still examining this proposal and working on it. We want to make sure this process is correct. [рассмотрения] We will continue without saying anything definite on this issue,” he said.
Kirby added that the US wants to “hold Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine”.
“A number of international investigations are currently underway that we support and assist with documentation and analysis. And we will continue to do so, ”the official stressed.
The Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to International Organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, had previously stated that only the UN Security Council could establish an international court.
Finish by the end of the year
John Kirby added that the White House does not see the possibility of ending the military conflict in Ukraine before the end of 2022.
“From what we have seen in the sky and on the ground in Ukraine, I find it difficult to conclude that this will be completed by the end of the year,” said the representative of the US National Security Council. He also pointed to the violent conflicts that arose in the Donbass.
“Conflict is active. We expect them to continue for a while.” According to Kirby, the US leadership has “no evidence, absolutely no expectation, that the war will stop by the end of the year.”
Finally, he said that the decision on possible negotiations with the Russian Federation should be taken by Ukraine, “not by the United States.”
Washington will continue to help
Karen Donfried, Undersecretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US Department of State, said at the hearing at the House Foreign Relations Committee that the Biden administration will soon announce another military aid package for Kyiv.
“I think the next military aid package will be announced this week,” Donfried said.
The deputy undersecretary did not specify the exact time and scope of the new aid package.