The Biden administration was not likely surprised by any of the London-made arm shipments. A former and current British official stated that all military assistance to Ukraine was closely coordinated with the United States. The U.K. wouldn’t ship weapons to Ukraine without Washington’s approval, they said.
Karen Pierce, British Ambassador to Washington, stated that the Biden Administration was “very satisfied” with London’s recent decision to supply Storm Shadow missiles. These missiles have a greater range than those sent by the United States.
“We speak a great deal to Americans. We also talk to Ukrainians.” Pierce stated in an interview that “we talk a great deal to our friends and allies and we assess collectively what capabilities Ukraine requires.” The ambassador said that “each nation makes their own decisions” and that “we do not see ourselves as setting examples.”
A spokesperson for the State Department said that the U.S., the U.K. and other countries work closely together to assist Ukraine. However, the spokesperson did not answer questions regarding Britain’s influence over the decisions of the administration to deliver certain weapons systems. The spokesperson stated that “we are grateful” for the United Kingdom’s strong opposition to Putin’s war on Ukraine.
British officials have said that the dollar amount is not important to the U.K. They hoped instead to break diplomatic stalemates that often formed when countries were afraid that giving Kyiv more capabilities would escalate tensions with Moscow, leading to a wider war.
“With the Storm Shadows, it was something long-range and precision guided that showed that we were ready to move forward,” said Lord Admiral Alan West who served as chief of the naval staff in the U.K. “I think the Biden administration was able to see this and decide to move forward with this.”
According to Daniel Vajdich of Yorktown Solutions in Washington, which advises Ukraine’s energy sector, and works with officials from Kyiv, the British arms deliveries countered claims by Ukrainian officials that advanced weapons were impractical to provide because they would not be able to use or maintain them.
Vajdich stated that there have been several instances in which the Brits were the first to announce and this has led the U.S. to be more willing to talk and eventually deliver the weapons systems.
Ellwood, West, and other former and current British officials have noted that the U.K. struggled to find a place on the global stage since Brexit. By putting its weight behind Ukraine, and rallying allies to support Kyiv, Britain found a way of staying relevant as an actor on the international stage, a strategic move that produced benefits for British politics.
According to a YouGov survey conducted in February, sending aid to Ukraine is still popular throughout Britain. More than 80% said that they support Ukraine, and 53% thought the U.K. must continue to provide aid until Russia leaves the country. Both Conservative and Labour Leaders support the Ukraine issue in Parliament.
British officials admit that Ukraine’s patchwork of weapons won’t lead to Russia being defeated in the end. Some people believe that Ukraine must eventually field a series of consistent military platforms, such as Leopard tanks on the land and F-16s flying in the sky, rather than a mixture of different hardware.
Ellwood stated, “We must start talking about how to develop the Ukrainian manufacturing capacity to produce their own kit.” “I don’t think the penny has really dropped, but I do believe that there is a certain expectation around all of these things. This war will last much longer than anyone thinks.
