Key Takeaways:
- The United States is contemplating on giving Ukraine HAWK air defence system
- The country had officially requested for integrated air defence missile system
- President Joe Biden has committed his country's assistance to Ukraine against the Russian invasion
YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — The United States is considering arming Ukraine with the famous HAWK air defense system. According to a recent report by Reuters, US President Joe Biden plans to approve the transfer of medium-range surface-to-air missile equipment to help the country defend itself against the ongoing Russian invasion.
Based on media reports, the Biden administration will use Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) to deploy the HAWK defense system in Ukraine. Under the provision, the US President is not required to seek the approval of the US Congress before acting.
“The use of the Presidential Drawdown Authority to direct a drawdown to provide military assistance under section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) is a valuable tool of U.S. foreign policy in crisis situations. It allows for the speedy delivery of defense articles and services from Department of Defense stocks to foreign countries and international organizations to respond to unforeseen emergencies,”
according to the US Department of State.
Since the HAWK defense missiles are currently kept in the defense department’s repository, it is unclear how many will be fit to be deployed immediately. However, it is expected that the equipment will be delivered as early as this week.
Earlier this month, Spain also announced it would provide Ukraine with four HAWKA air defense systems.
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Ukraine To Benefit From HAWK
The HAWK air defense system will help Ukraine defend itself against Russia. The Kremlin has ramped up its aggression against the country through the use of drones.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his armed forces to shell Ukraine’s capital Kyiv using Iranian Kamikadze drones.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian sources revealed that the country had formally requested the US to supply them with HAWKs.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has requested Western Powers to close his country’s air. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has refused to declare Ukraine a no-fly zone amid fears of entering into direct war with Russia. However, they are now finding ways to help the country defend its skies.
Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine’s minister of Defense, confirmed on Twitter that he had spoken to US counterpart Lloyd Austin III.
“Had a productive conversation with my friend Lloyd Austin III…We also discussed the next US Security Assistance Package for. Details to follow,”
he wrote.
As CoinChapter earlier reported, the Biden administration is also planning to give Ukraine a $50 billion aid package. The move, which comes weeks before the mid-term elections in the US, has angered the Republicans and common citizens.
By sending the HAWK missiles, the US has once again displayed its commitment to back Ukraine against Russia.
