East Arapahoe News

WASHINGTON — On June 8, Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06), co-chair of the For Country Caucus and former Army Ranger, led a coalition of For Country Caucus members in sending a bipartisan letter to President Biden calling for the United States to send fourth generation fighter aircraft and ATACMS to Ukraine. The letter also calls for an expedited transfer of Abrams tanks and additional air defense capabilities to improve Ukraine’s ability to defend their sovereign territory.   

“Ukraine needs advanced capabilities like these to help sustain their efforts in the long term and control the skies. Air superiority with modern fighters and the ability to strike long range targets are essential,” said Congressman Jason Crow. “Now is the time to lean in and make sure Ukraine has the tools it needs to win.”

The letter builds on Congressman Crow’s ongoing efforts to support Ukraine’s fight against Russia, including urging additional US military and humanitarian aid throughout the war and calling for the US to provide F-16 fighter jets to bolster Ukraine’s air defense capabilities. This week, Crow led a bipartisan coalition of veterans in sending a letter urging President Biden to share further information and evidence on Russian war crimes in Ukraine with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold Vladimir Putin and his enablers accountable. 

A PDF of the letter can be found here, with text appearing below:

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
The White House
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500 

Dear Mr. President, 

We write to demonstrate overwhelming bipartisan support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia and urge new action by the United States to provide or accelerate the provision of new capabilities for the Ukrainian military. With the war now entering its 16th month, we must show a united front across both Congress and the Administration to ensure Ukraine has the tools to  expel Russia from its sovereign territory in the coming counteroffensive. Helping Ukraine fight and win is a U.S. national security imperative and signals to the world that the U.S. will stand by our fellow democracies. We believe there are four categories of military assistance that will be decisive in the months ahead and the U.S. should provide without delay:

1. Transfer of Fourth-Generation Fighter Aircraft: We applaud the Administration’s recent decision to assist in the training of Ukrainian pilots in advanced fighters. For Ukraine to fight and win on the ground, it must be able to contest the skies. To supplement Ukraine’s dwindling fleet of Soviet-era fighter jets, the U.S. must seek to further strengthen Ukrainian air power by rapidly transferring or facilitating the transfer of fourth-generation fighter aircraft. Fighter aircraft could be transferred from existing inventory, or from willing allies with your approval. Modern aircraft would provide the Ukrainian forces with asymmetric advantages over Russian ground forces, expand their capabilities along the line of contact, strengthen their ability to target Russia’s long-range fires, and improve their ability to protect civilians. In addition, we encourage the Administration to rapidly assist Ukraine in training aircraft maintenance personnel; work with contractors to establish the necessary maintenance and logistics infrastructure; and develop a plan for providing a flow of advanced munitions for these aircraft.
2. Transfer of ATACMS: Ukrainian defenders are far more effective on the ground when they are able to target deep supply lines and Russian command and control centers. Ukraine has used HIMARS systems to devastating effect, but Russian forces have adapted to ensure key assets are outside their range. Russia will continue to move high payoff targets outside of the scope and reach of Ukrainian systems until we can extend those ranges. Therefore, we urge you to transfer ATACMS to Ukraine from existing U.S. stocks or approve transfers from our allies. These surface-to-surface missiles provide a long-range capability that will significantly improve Ukraine’s ability to target Russian troops and equipment in Ukrainian sovereign territory. We’re encouraged that the United Kingdom has delivered its Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine with reported assurances from Ukrainian officials that they would only be used to attack Russian positions in Ukrainian territory. We believe similar assurances for these systems would alleviate potential concerns regarding escalation. We also understand the administration’s stated  desire to maintain U.S. stockpiles for future fights, but Ukraine is currently on the front lines in a fight for freedom in a war with immediate and long-term U.S. national security implications. The fight for global peace and security is playing out in Ukraine and we believe this merits a drawdown from our existing stocks of this important capability.
3. Expedited Abrams Tank Transfer: To win this war Ukraine must recapture and hold territory, and they will need more advanced armor to do it. We were encouraged by your decision to provide 31 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. However, we are concerned both by the number of tanks provided and that the tanks will not reach the battlefield until early fall. Throughout our history, when the U.S. has placed its full industrial might behind a cause it has succeeded. For example, during World War II, the U.S. built entire Liberty ships in less than four days. In the 80 years since then the U.S. has developed the most advanced industrial base and military in the world and must have the ability to refurbish, refit, and deliver a limited number of tanks faster than the current timeline. We strongly urge you to do everything in your power to accelerate this timeline, whether that be through the Defense Production Act, expended contracts, or pulling from different stocks to provide Ukrainian troops the tactical equipment needed to mount their counter-offensive.
4. Additional Air Defense Capabilities: In order to defend its people, critical infrastructure, and vital military assets, Ukraine urgently needs additional air defense systems and munitions. Putin continues to aggressively target civilian critical infrastructure and population centers, which has resulted in thousands of civilian casualties and disruptions to utilities that threaten their war effort. We welcomed your decision to provide our Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. However, one Patriot battery is not enough. The Ukrainians have demonstrated their ability to successfully leverage these systems and even intercepted hypersonic missiles aimed at destroying the battery. We urge you to prioritize transferring additional Patriot systems and munitions as we continue to look at short, medium, and long-term air defense requirements in this conflict.

The war in Ukraine has become a conflict of grinding attrition. We can and must help break this stalemate. By swiftly providing the Ukrainian forces with these additional capabilities, we can significantly improve their chances of victory, restore peace to Europe, and ensure a more stable and prosperous world. It is in the interest of the U.S. and our allies across the world to see the Ukrainian people and democracy prevail. Thank you for your consideration and continued leadership. We look forward to working with your administration on these critical matters.

Sincerely,

Original source can be found here