After months of lobbying by his Ukrainian counterpart, Joe Biden finally granted permission for long-range strikes on Russian soil using US-supplied Atacms.

Almost as soon as the news broke, via a leak to The New York Times, Washington announced it would also give Ukraine anti-personnel landmines.

While these weapons are seen by Ukrainians as incredibly useful, there is a feeling it is all a little bit too late in the day.

Russia has been advancing throughout eastern Ukraine for months.

Vladimir Putin has also amassed a force, including North Korean troops, that he hopes will be able to reclaim the land seized by Ukraine in the Russian region of Kursk.

With the war, much like Mr Biden’s term, heading for the endgame, it is a less-than-ideal situation for the Ukrainians to be in.

This explains the undercurrent of frustration between Kyiv and its most significant military backer that threatens to boil over.

Periods of dithering

Almost every US military aid announcement, from tanks to fighter jets and long-range missiles, followed lengthy periods of dithering by Washington.

The safety-first approach by the Biden administration could be why Mr Zelensky appears so keen for Donald Trump to take office.