After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainian troops faced a shortage of artillery ammunition. The United States, in support of Ukraine, sought to find appropriate ammunition from foreign arsenals, as many Cold War stockpiles had become unusable due to age. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and Gen. Mark A. Milley collaborated to quickly ship American howitzers and high-explosive shells to Ukraine, starting a pipeline of arms. The U.S. turned to both allies and non-NATO countries to aid Ukraine, showcasing a successful model of alliance-building against Russia’s influence. The Ukraine Defense Contact Group, consisting of at least 52 countries, met regularly to provide much-needed supplies to Ukraine, leading to a shift in how alliances are formed and maintained on a global scale.
The changing landscape of arms production, with fewer countries making Russian weapons and more producing NATO-standard arms, has pulled nations away from Russia’s orbit. The Ukraine crisis highlighted the need for a new approach to global alliances, bringing together former Soviet-aligned countries and major non-NATO allies to support Ukraine. The U.S. leveraged its network of partnerships to create the contact group, mirroring the success of the Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State formed in 2014.
The group has supplied Ukraine with over $126 billion in military aid, demonstrating the collective effort to support the country in its conflict with Russia. The U.S. has coordinated efforts to secure Soviet-era arms from former Russian clients and provide Ukraine with advanced weaponry. As the conflict continues, plans are in place to ensure Ukraine’s military capability even without U.S. leadership in the contact group. The future of the alliance and support for Ukraine remains uncertain as the next administration prepares to take over.
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