Loading military aid for Ukraine at Dover Air Force Base. Archival photoMOSCOW, May 18. Ukraine has become the world's largest recipient of military aid from the United States, surpassing Israel and Egypt in this indicator, writes The Washington Post. According to the publication, the United States sent about $ 2.7 billion in military assistance to Kyiv from 2014 to 2021. At the same time, since the beginning of Russia's special operation, the volume of this assistance has amounted to $3.8 billion. The newspaper notes that the new $40.1 billion package under consideration contains about $20 billion for defense. The publication compares these figures with data obtained for the 2020 fiscal year, which begins on October 1 in the United States. That year, Israel was the world's largest recipient of US military aid, with $3.3 billion from the United States, followed by Egypt with $1.3 billion, and Jordan in third with $0.51 billion. Previously The Politico publication argued that the interests of the West and Kyiv are not identical, while the rhetoric of Western countries about the full support of Ukraine can give it «false hope» and is fraught with serious consequences for the country. , rightfully resist it, resulting in a discrepancy between deeds and words in the West. As the authors point out, claims of complete convergence of interests may fuel «Ukrainians' dreams of total victory» and their excessive expectations.Americans threatened with «Armageddon» because of Biden's Ukrainian policyAgainst the background of the Russian special operation to protect the Donbass, which began on February 24, Washington and NATO allies continue to pump weapons to Ukraine. In late April, Joe Biden asked Congress for $33 billion to support Kyiv, but the legislature subsequently increased that amount to $40 billion. Also the other day, the US President signed the lend-lease law, which simplifies the provision of military assistance to the Ukrainian authorities. Moscow has repeatedly stated that the supply of Western weapons only prolongs the conflict, and the transport of weapons becomes a legitimate target. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.» For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out «demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine», to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for «bloody crimes against civilians» in Donbass. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces strike only at military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops and , on March 25, completed the main tasks of the first stage — significantly reduced the combat potential of Ukraine. The main goal in the Russian military department was called the liberation of Donbass.
