Representative Joe Wilson, Republican from South Carolina, announced on 11 February he would introduce legislation reauthorizing a lend-lease agreement to provide Ukraine with “war-winning” military equipment.
Newsweek reports that Wilson, who chairs the US Helsinki Commission and the National Security and Foreign Affairs Task Force, announced on X he would introduce the Freedom First Lend-Lease Act. This would give President Trump authority to provide what he called war-winning weapons to Ukraine.
The previous Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act, which facilitated military aid to Kyiv, expired in September 2023 without being used by former US President Joe Biden. The $895 billion US defense bill passed in December did not include provisions to extend it.
While US weapons approved under former President Biden continue flowing to Ukraine, the Trump administration is exploring having European allies purchase American weapons for Ukraine. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, will discuss this approach at the Munich Security Conference starting 14 February, according to unnamed sources who spoke to Reuters.
Newsweek notes that details of the bill, including whether it has the support of other members of Congress, remain uncertain. Additionally, it is unclear whether the US intends to request European countries to acquire American arms through commercial contracts or from existing US stockpiles.
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