Ukraine aid isn’t harming Taiwan assistance, US Indo-Pacific commander says
Mike Brest
Video Embed
A U.S. defense leader in the Indo-Pacific told lawmakers on Thursday that the aid the military is providing to Ukraine is not taking away from its efforts to help Taiwan.
INDOPACOM Commander Adm. John Aquilino told lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee that the fighting capabilities needed to assist Ukraine are different from what the United States needs to bolster Taiwan, though many U.S. deliveries to the latter have been delayed.
MILLEY SAYS CHINESE MILITARY BELIEVES CONFLICT WITH US ‘INEVITABLE,’ BUT HE DOESN’T
Aquilino affirmed that America’s aid to Ukraine did not hamper the military’s ability to aid Taiwan “at this time” and confirmed Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-IA) statement that the two areas would involve “a little different fight, a little different capabilities that are needed. So just to be very, very clear, the fight that’s ongoing between the Ukrainians and the Russians, the munitions that we’re providing to Ukraine at this time, are not degrading capabilities that are necessary for the fight that might occur in Taiwan.”
He went so far as to say the U.S. has to continue arming both places in order to “maintain the peace.”
The comments come amid some concerns, mainly from Republicans, that the U.S. is arming Ukraine to the detriment of Taiwan.
The U.S. military “is the only global force capable of managing multiple threats,” he said. “My partner in EUCOM is executing his mission sets. I haven’t been impacted at this point as it applies to my turns, mission. So I do believe we can do both. I believe we have to do both to maintain the peace.”
The Biden administration has provided Ukraine with more than $35 billion worth of military equipment while also training them on the more complex weapons systems. It announced a new aid package of roughly $325 million that includes munitions and ammunition for U.S.-provided weapons. This package is similar to many recent ones, which has consistently left off some of Ukraine’s most urgent requests, including fighter jets and long-range missiles that would allow them to hit targets within Russia’s borders.
Aquilino testified in front of the House Armed Services Committee earlier in the week as well, where he warned that “we must act with a greater sense of urgency every day.”
Other defense officials have noted China’s intention to have the military prepared to take Taiwan by force by 2027 based in part on comments from Chinese leader Xi Jinping. But Aquilino dismissed that timeline as a guess during his testimony on Capitol Hill.
“I know [Adm. Philip Davidson] came up with 2027. [It] was based on what Xi Jinping said, which was the challenge to his military to be prepared to execute if tasked by 2027. That was foundationally the approach of his comments. Now, for me, it doesn’t matter what the timeline is, the secretary has given me this mission today, so I’m responsible to prevent this conflict today,” he told lawmakers. “If deterrence were to fail, to be able to fight and win. So the timeline, everybody will have an opinion on when it is. I think everybody’s guessing. The intent and need for INDOPACOM, the department, industry, and everybody to go faster will help prevent this conflict.”
Jedidiah Royal, the Pentagon’s principal deputy assistant secretary for Indo-Pacific security affairs, testified with Aquilino on Tuesday, and he warned about the Chinese military’s “more dangerous and aggressive activities in the region.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
There is a backlog of some of the weapons deliveries the U.S. is intending to make to Taiwan.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, promised Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen that the U.S. would fix the backlog during a visit to the island earlier this month.