Vladimir Putin is claiming to annex items of Ukraine his troops now occupy, whereas threatening to make use of nuclear weapons if the battle doesn’t go his approach, so that is no time for Western democracies to go wobbly. The Biden Administration deserves credit score for saying one other $1.1 billion in safety help this week, however buried within the particulars is a warning about America’s skill to maintain a protracted battle.

The Pentagon introduced “the start of a contracting course of” that may ultimately ship Ukraine extra multi-mission radars, counter-unmanned aerial programs, tactical automobiles that tow weapons, and different gear. The U.S. may even procure 18 excessive mobility artillery rocket programs, generally known as Himars, to enhance the 16 Ukraine is now utilizing to glorious battlefield impact, notably on Russian ammunition depots and logistics strains.