Ukraine has ATACMS missiles only for use on its territory, the amount of additional assistance to Kyiv is yet to come

The United States, after a long delay in the House of Representatives, approved a large package of aid to Ukraine. Among other things, Washington has newly delivered ATACMS missiles with a range of 300 kilometers. Do the Ukrainians have any restrictions on the use of these missiles? Can these missiles also hit the territory of Russia, or only the occupied territory of Ukraine?

On the Ukraine package, I just want to emphasize that once we got to the vote, the bipartisan support was overwhelming. We actually approved several different packages. Part of it goes through the presidential drawdown authority, when we take funds directly from existing US stocks, part goes through the Foreign Military Financing program, which allows additional funds to be ordered. As for the long-range assault weapons, we provided them to Ukraine at the president’s direction in February, and they were part of the package that was announced on March 12. These weapons are intended for use on the territory of Ukraine.

However, these missiles cannot be measured against the range of some Russian weapons. Do you plan to provide Ukraine with weapons with a longer range?

Now, in short, here is what we announced, and we are very happy about it. I don’t want to speculate about future decisions.

ATACMS missiles in action again? They hit Russian troops, the footage suggests

Europe

Of course, this is help for Kiev, but it will not reverse the war by itself. Moreover, the approval of this package was not easy. What are the chances now that the US will agree to more aid of a similar scale anytime soon?

The good news is that we have already received the first tranche of this package and much more is on the way. First, we need to make sure we get this to the Ukrainians as quickly as possible. And right now we are starting to talk about the next package. Again, I come back to whether we saw strong cross-party support in the vote – and I think that question has been answered. Although of course I can’t say how it will be in the future.

Is the USA considering moving part of the production of weapons and ammunition to Europe, i.e. directly to Ukraine?

I would say it a little differently. Certain critical components can be found on which US and European firms can work together to increase and speed up production. And we are now looking for such opportunities. Europe is developing its own initiative with a similar goal. At the same time, we see worldwide demand for a whole range of systems, whether it is air defense or artillery and others. It’s really important for us now to be able to speed up and increase production. And I think there are opportunities for that in Europe.

Photo: Stanislava Benešová, novinky.cz

Interview with US Assistant Secretary of State Jessica Lewis

Ukraine is now facing, among other things, a shortage of ammunition, anti-aircraft systems and soldiers. Which issue is most pressing now?

Ukrainians themselves know this best. I’ll leave the people question aside. It’s clear that they have a whole host of issues that they’re dealing with in that regard. But artillery and air defense are the priority. The first, so that the country can continue to fight, the second to defend the cities and their inhabitants, so that the economy is preserved for the future of Ukraine. We have to work on both at the same time. I wouldn’t choose one over the other.

In March, the EU announced that it would allocate an additional 500 million euros for the production of ammunition, which, according to its estimates, should help to produce two million pieces of ammunition per year. Is it sufficient?

It is an important step forward. Look, Europe needs such investments. It is necessary to do such things for yourself. You need to strengthen your own army and make sure it is ready. But we will all have to cooperate, whether it is the readiness of NATO, the readiness of the USA, or Ukraine.

The Czech ammunition initiative was well received by the allies, but at its core, the purchase of ammunition outside the EU countries is an emergency solution. How long can it last?

We have to do both. Looking at what’s available around the world and being ready to get it. The fact that the Czech Republic has taken the lead in this regard is incredibly important. But we must also strive to increase production. And ammunition is not the only area where we deal with this. We have to look at what we can get to Ukraine immediately, as well as what can be produced.

When we look at individual systems, at sub-components, the defense industry, like many other industries, faces supply chain problems. And we have to deal with it one by one and ensure the delivery of the finished product on time and in sufficient quantity.

In Europe, there seems to be increasing discussion not only of increasing defense spending, but also of a greater shift towards independence in defense matters. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron indicated a few days ago the possible use of French nuclear weapons to protect other European countries, while Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that European rapid deployment forces are being created. How does the US view such initiatives?

We believe that a strong European defense is in our interest because we are allies and we all work together. And I think there are a lot of different initiatives. I will not enter into the European debate because it must take place here. But the fact that Europe is trying to grow and contribute more strongly to joint work is of course very much supported by us. At the same time, within NATO and our bilateral relations, we will of course make sure that we all plan and work together to solve these problems.

I’ll come back to the aid package for Ukraine that Congress recently passed. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala spoke with Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson just a few hours before announcing that he would put the aid to a vote. Was it purely a coincidence, or did the visit of the Czech Prime Minister have any influence in this regard?

I can’t say, I can’t see into this particular conversation. But a number of European leaders came, and all those talks were very helpful in getting the perspective of those countries heard in the US. In the case of the Czech Republic, this view is unique, given your own history and how you have helped Ukraine. And we greatly appreciate Chairman Johnson’s stance in moving the package forward and dealing with this very complicated situation. We are delighted with the result.

The Czech Republic has ordered 24 F-35 fighter jets from the US, but deliveries of these aircraft to Europe are getting delayed. How realistic is the date of 2031, when the Czech Republic is to receive the first of these aircraft?

Let me start by saying that the F-35, the fifth generation fighter, is incredibly important as part of the modernization plan of the Czech military. As for the time frame, I know we’re moving as fast as we can. I don’t have an exact date. I would say that there is a great demand in this area. We are working on all related issues to move forward as quickly as possible.