What is Beijing’s geopolitical interpretation of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict?
What Russian President Vladimir Putin described as a “special military operation” in Ukraine has devolved into a full-scale war with no end in sight.
Russian forces continue to advance in Ukraine’s east, testing the endurance of the resistance, which continues to demand military support from the West.
The United States and its allies have been willing to oblige, sending billions of dollars in advanced defence capability and support military equipment to Ukraine.
Most recently, the US Department of Defense announced a new US$270 million (AU$391 million) military support package for Ukraine — up to US$175 million (AU$253 million) via the 16th presidential drawdown since August 2021 and US$95 million (AU$137 million) via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) fund.
Equipment funded by the drawdown include:
- four additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and additional ammunition for HIMARS;
- four command post vehicles;
- 36,000 rounds of 105mm ammunition; and
- additional anti-armour weapons, spare parts, and other equipment.
This latest package took the value of the United States’ total military contribution to Ukraine to US$8.2 billion (AU$11.8 billion).