"Make Europe to pay": US is looking for weapons supply to Ukraine without congress - NYT

Representatives of Presidential Administration Joe Baiden told the publication that the White House was discussing the possibility of a comprehensive exchange of weapons, similar to what Japan and South Korea did. US Presidential Assistants Joe Baiden are actively looking for alternative ways to provide Ukraine with weapons if Congress remains paralyzed. Options for weapons exchange with other countries are considered, as well as the possibility at which Europe would take over the cost of supply.

About it reports The New York Times with reference to representatives of the Presidential Administration. According to sources, the option is discussed, which provides a comprehensive exchange of weapons with third countries for the supply of weapons to Ukraine. The exchange can look the same as it was organized with Japan and South Korea. Then these countries, refusing to supply the weapons directly to the military conflict zone, transferred it to Washington.

In doing so, they allowed the United States to send weapons to Ukraine from its own arsenal. Or, as they add in the publication, the US can "make European countries" pay "for US weapons and send it to Ukraine. At the same time, the White House is officially assured that they do not currently find other options other than the approval of funding in Congress "We are not focused on the plan," - said the National Security President Jake Sullivan.

However, other opportunities are widely discussed in Washington and Europe, including the confiscation of Russian Central Bank assets worth over $ 300 billion. However, according to the publication, American officials recognize that "there is nothing on the horizon that could compare with the power of new Congress appropriations" of $ 60 billion. These funds would allow Ukraine to buy improved air defense, more tanks and missiles, as well as ammunition.

We will remind, on February 8, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Makarova reported that the US Senate did not support a large package of funding for international assistance and migration reform. However, the senators decided to review the bill on assistance to Ukraine, but without the issue of border protection. The ISW has previously reported that the United States would not be endlessly equip Ukraine.