Ukraine moved to top of list to receive US air defense capabilities

The Biden administration is prioritizing critical air defense capabilities for Ukraine over other countries to “ensure Ukraine’s survival” as Russia continues its brutal assault on the country with no end in sight, a senior White House official and congressional sources told CNN.

The Biden administration is prioritizing critical air defense capabilities for Ukraine over other countries to “ensure Ukraine’s survival” as Russia continues its brutal assault on the country with no end in sight, a senior White House official and congressional sources told CNN. A senior White House official described the action as a “rather extraordinary” policy adjustment at a critical moment for Ukraine. The deliveries to Ukraine will begin this summer, and it is not immediately clear how many countries are impacted. Prior to the decision, Ukrainian officials had clearly explained to the Biden administration that additional air defenses were critically needed as Russia continued its aerial assaults against its cities and civilian infrastructure. “If we didn’t do this for Ukraine, they would not have been able to maintain their critical air defense stockpile heading into the winter, period,” the official said. “This is a decision that’s being made to ensure that they’re able to defend themselves against these relentless Russian missile and drone attacks.” Putting Ukraine at the top of the list to begin receiving “sufficient quantities” of these critical air defense capabilities – specifically the Patriot and NASAM interceptors – means that the US slid down other countries that were already in the queue to receive the weapons, the sources said. State Department and Pentagon officials are engaged in an “intensive diplomatic effort” to inform the effected countries that they will receive the interceptors on delayed timelines, the White House official said.