Senator Mark Warner: Army Tactical Missile Systems Should be With Ukraine “Right Now, This Week.”

The United States is poised to initiate the transfer of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine pending approval of a military aid package by the White House, according to U.S. Senator Mark Warner in an interview published by CBS News.

The M57A1 Army Tactical Missile System missile is fired over the cab of an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launcher. (U.S. Army photo)

Following approval of a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine by the House of Representatives on April 20th, the Senate is expected to move the bill forward, after which U.S. President Joe Biden will enact it into law.

Warner, a Democrat, indicated that shipments containing long-range missile systems could be prepared for transit within a matter of days.

“I hope once the President signs … making sure Congress does its job that these materials will be in transit by the end of the week,” Warner remarked.

The U.S. previously supplied ATACMS missiles to Ukraine in October 2023, after a period of deliberation.

However, the initial package consisted solely of older models with a range of 165 kilometers. The newer variants, boasting a maximum range of approximately 300 kilometers, have yet to be furnished to Ukraine.

Reports from late February, as relayed by NBC News, suggested that the White House is prepared to provide Kyiv with extended-range ATACMS missile variants pending congressional approval of additional funding.

Warner affirmed that the ATACMS are included in the new aid package and are ready for shipment.

“The ATACMS — I believe the administration was prepared over the last couple of months to prepare or to provide ATACMS.

“It is written into this legislation,” he stated.

The long-awaited approval of supplementary U.S. military assistance coincides with Ukraine confronting worsening battlefield conditions and acute shortages of air defence systems and artillery.

Warner expressed his view that this aid should have been delivered sooner, asserting, “It should have happened six months ago.”

He emphasized the urgency of the present moment, remarking, “The next best time is right now, this week.”

Warner commended the Ukrainian military for its accomplishments in the face of these challenges and underscored the value of U.S. aid to Ukraine.

“We’ve seen the Ukrainians over-perform,” he said.

“Now and the last two years, with less than 3% of our defence budget, two years running, with the Ukrainians having eliminated 87% of the Russian’s pre-existing ground forces, 63% of their tanks, 32% of their armoured personnel carriers, without a single American soldier lost, because of the courage of the Ukrainians, and the equipment they’ve received from us, and from our European allies,” he continued.

Long-range missile systems have long been a priority for Kyiv, although certain Western governments have hesitated to provide such weapons due to concerns about escalation with Russia.

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