The Biden administration’s decision to enhance Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities has U.S. intelligence agencies on high alert.
What Happened: President Joe Biden “decided to provide Ukraine with the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) long-range munition,” according to a White House statement on Thursday.
But the New York Times reports U.S. intelligence agencies are assessing the risks of such a scenario.
Western allies face the potential threat of Russian-led attacks if those long-range missiles are aimed at certain targets deep inside Russia.
The discussions were at the center of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy‘s visit to the U.S. this past week in which he met with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
A meeting between Zelenskyy and ex-President Donald Trump is reportedly taking place on Friday in New York.
Ukraine Winter: The Russia-Ukraine war began on Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion.
Since then, Russia has bombarded critical power infrastructure across Ukraine — the latest attack being on Thursday, per Reuters. Such tactics, considered war crimes, leave Ukraine’s citizens vulnerable heading into the winter months.
“Due to ongoing attacks on civil infrastructure, front-line movements, mass displacements and disruptions of access to essential health-care services, the war's impacts, compounded by winter, can increase the risk of excess cold-related morbidity and mortality,” according to a Thursday report from the World Health Organization.
Germany agreed to provide a $78 million winter aid package to help Ukraine maintain heat and electricity.
Federal Development Minister Svenja Schulze said Germany’s support aligns with national interests, as Ukraine’s defense also protects European security.
"We are supporting Ukraine in its efforts to rebuild a decentralised power supply infrastructure, as Russia will then not be able to destroy it so easily," he added.
Russia’s invasion affected oil and gas pipeline relations with Germany and Ukraine starting in 2022. This resulted in major disruptions and geopolitical shifts.
Why It Matters: In the U.S., Democrats and Republicans are at odds over whether to provide aid at all to Zelenskyy.
Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, met with Zelenskyy and criticized those suggesting Ukraine should cede territory for peace. Her comments were seen as a veiled jab at twice-impeached former President Trump, who often derides efforts to help Ukraine.
At a North Carolina event Wednesday, Trump said Ukraine was “demolished” and should have conceded to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Associated Press reported.
The comments come just weeks after a debate with Harris, in which the 2024 Republican nominee refused to say whether he wanted Ukraine to win the war.
Price Action: Defense contractors saw gains and losses on Friday.
- General Dynamics Corp GD is up 0.34% to $301.55
- Northrop Grumman Corporation NOC rose 034% to $526.08
- TransDigm Group Inc TDG declined 0.069% to $1,400.08
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that hold defense stocks trended up:
- IShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF ITA rose 0.52%
- Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF PPA is up 0.29%
- SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF XAR is up 0.82%
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