President Joe Biden speaks at a Democratic National Committee event at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 12:02 PM PT – Saturday, September 10, 2022
The Biden administration has vowed to continue selling arms to the Ukraine despite claims saying the US is trying to prolong the crisis in the country. The military industrial complex confirmed it will continue sending weapons to Ukraine for “as long as it takes” amid its war with Russia.
While speaking in the Czech Republic on Friday, Defense Department Secretary Lloyd Austin said the Biden administration’s military aid packages to Ukraine have worked to stop Russia from swiftly taking over the west-aligned country.
A day well spent with Czech leaders; Defense Minister @jana_cernochova, Prime Minister @P_Fiala, and President @HradOfficialENG in Prague to affirm our strong defense ties and commitment to @NATO’s deterrence and defense in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/IfKR4TjPPM
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) September 9, 2022
Secretary Austin also touted that the Pentagon is sending over a slew of weapon systems in order to give troops on the ground the option to mix and match them in their offensives against Russian soldiers.
“So, we see success in Kherson now,” Austin said. “We see some success in in Kharkiv. And so that’s very, very encouraging. But it’s not just about one particular weapon or weapon system. That is about how you integrate these systems and how you integrate the efforts of various elements in the inventory to create effects that provide advantage to the Ukrainians. We’re beginning to see that. And so, I think, I think they have they have great capability. They’re using it the right way. We’ll stay engaged and make sure that we’re giving them what they what they need to be successful. Thanks.”
Meanwhile at the United Nations, America’s Deputy Ambassador to the International Organization Richard Mills, defended the billions-of-dollars in military aid sent to Ukraine. He fired back against Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, who claimed that America and its western allies are trying to perpetuate the conflict. Nebenzya also claimed that the United States is trying to achieve their longstanding goal to rid the world of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Mills and the UK’s UN Ambassador went on to decry Russia’s military operation as a violation of the charter. They also announced that they are not going to hide their support for the weaker Ukraine. However, Russia’s Ambassador warned that western weapons going to other countries always ends in unnecessary bloodshed.
“A significant proportion of these weapons finds itself in the hands of smugglers right from the warehouses,” Nebenzya said. In the darknet you can find all kinds of offers to buy this weapon. We’ve already seen similar situations in the Balkans and the Middle East where Western military arsenals were then re-exported to Europe and then used by criminal groups on European territory or found their way into the hands of terrorists.”
In the meantime, it doesn’t appear that the Biden administration is slowing down their arms sales to Ukraine. Biden recently approved a DOD request to supply $675 million worth of weapons to the country. Bill LaPlante, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment added that the administration is looking to continue filling billions-of-dollars’ worth of orders in the months to come.
“To date, approximately 1.2 billion is already on contract,” LaPlante announced. “Of the 4.8 billion committed through USAI and then for replenishment, an additional 1.2 billion is on contract of the over 7 billion that is notified to Congress excuse me, throughout the remainder of the month, we expect to announce several additional awards. We remain committed to getting things on contract as quickly as possible. Ultimately, to send a clear and persistent demand signal to our partners in industry.”
Meanwhile, foreign policy experts, including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, warned that Ukraine’s demands for peace are unreasonable and that America’s encouragement of their operations could lead to a prolonged time of suffering for both sides of the conflict. Kissinger also warned that America’s foreign policy now looks like it’s made without reason or strategy. He added that continuing on this path could lead to major conflicts with superpowers such as Russia and China.