U.S. administration advances plans to permit defense contractors to send personnel to Ukraine
The new strategy could signify a major alteration in the Biden administration's Ukraine policy, as the U.S. seeks methods to bolster Ukraine's military capabilities against Russia.
The policy is still in development by administration officials and hasn't received formal approval from President Joe Biden as of yet, officials stated.
"We haven't made any decisions, and any conversation about this is premature," mentioned one administration official. "The president is unequivocal that he wouldn't send U.S. troops to Ukraine."
Upon approval, the alteration would likely be implemented this year, officials said, and would permit the Pentagon to provide contracts to American companies for work within Ukraine for the first time since Russia invaded in 2022. Officials stated they aim it will expedite the upkeep and repairs of weapons systems used by the Ukrainian military.
Over the previous two years, Biden has emphasized that all Americans, particularly U.S. troops, should steer clear of the Ukrainian frontlines. The White House has been resolute in minimizing both the risk to Americans and the perception, especially by Russia, that the U.S. military is involved in combat there. The State Department has explicitly discouraged Americans from travel to Ukraine since 2022.
As a result, U.S.-provided military equipment that has endured significant damage in battle has had to be transported out of the country to Poland, Romania, or other NATO countries for repairs, a process that requires time. U.S. troops are also available to help the Ukrainians with routine maintenance and logistics, but only from a distance via video call or secure phone—an arrangement that comes with inherent limitations, since U.S. troops and contractors cannot directly work on the systems.
Administration officials started seriously reconsidering those limitations over the past few months, officials stated, as Russia persisted in making gains on the battlefield and U.S. funding for Ukraine stalled in Congress. Permitting experienced, U.S.-funded American contractors to maintain a presence in Ukraine means they will be able to fix damaged, high-value equipment more swiftly, officials said. One advanced system that officials suggest will probably require regular maintenance is the F-16 fighter jet, which Ukraine is set to receive later this year.
The change is a response to a series of decisions the U.S. has made in recent months to assist Ukraine. In late May, Biden granted Ukraine authorization to attack targets inside Russia, near the border with the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, with U.S. weapons—a request the U.S. had repeatedly declined in the past. Last week, this policy seemed to expand once more, when national security adviser Jake Sullivan stated Ukraine could counterattack anywhere along the Ukraine-Russia border using U.S. weapons.
Current and former officials familiar with the discussions about deploying contractors to Ukraine underscored that the policy shift wouldn't result in the extensive American contractor presence there that existed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead, it would likely result in anywhere from a few dozen to a couple hundred contractors working in Ukraine at a time.
"This would be a much more focused and thoughtful effort to support Ukraine in-country," said retired Army officer Alex Vindman, who served as the director for European Affairs on former President Donald Trump’s National Security Council.
Vindman has been urging the administration to lift the restrictions for nearly 2 years and said the administration has been working on a plan to ease the restrictions since earlier this year.
"Ukraine is an ally," Vindman told CNN. "The U.S. has significant, pertinent national security interests in supporting Ukraine, and there are plenty of risk management measures."
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The policy change could significantly impact the relationship between the Biden administration and Ukrainian officials, as it represents a potential shift in their stance towards direct involvement in Ukraine's military situation.
Should the policy be approved, President Joe Biden would be authorizing a notable role for defense contractors in Ukraine, marking a departure from the previous restrictions in place since Russia's invasion in 2022.
