US Gives Priority to Air-Defense Missile Deliveries for Ukraine

 A Ukrainian soldier watches a self-propelled weapon fire at Russian positions (AFP)

The United States will prioritize deliveries of anti-air missiles to Kyiv, sending the desperately needed munitions to Ukraine ahead of other countries that have placed orders, the White House said Thursday.
“We’re going to reprioritize the deliveries of these exports so that those missiles rolling off the production line will now be provided to Ukraine,” particularly Patriot and NASAMS missiles, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
“Deliveries of these missiles to other countries that are currently in the queue will have to be delayed,” he said.
In a post on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the latest decision.
“I am deeply grateful to US President Joe Biden for prioritizing Ukraine in the delivery of air defenses that we critically need to defeat Russian attacks,” he wrote.
Kirby said that deliveries to Taiwan – which is preparing for a possible invasion by China – and Israel, which is fighting a war against Hamas – will not be affected by the decision.
The United States has been a key military backer of Ukraine, committing more than $51 billion in weapons, ammunition and other security assistance since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
The decision to fast-track the munitions to Ukraine “will increase their inventories more quickly to enable them to continue to defend that critical infrastructure and the civilian population as we go into the winter,” spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told journalists on Thursday.