What is White House's plan for Ukraine, General Cavoli's report on key weapons for Ukraine

The author of the Resurgam Telegram channel discusses recent developments.

In September, President Biden submitted a victory plan for Ukraine to Congress, as stipulated by the draft aid bill. However, the plan arrived 1.5 months later than expected. While some parts of the plan were initially anticipated to be accessible to the public within Congress, the entire document was ultimately classified. It is now restricted to specialized committees with the necessary security clearance for review and use.

"Surprisingly, the Americans did not adhere to their usual practice of leaking classified documents or information to the media early on. Most of the document remains under strict information control," the author notes.

Nevertheless, over time, a few conclusions can be drawn:

The White House administration was compelled to prepare the plan in response to requests from key Republican committee leaders: Mike Rogers (House Armed Services Committee), Mike Turner (House Intelligence Committee), and Michael McCaul (House Foreign Affairs Committee).

Earlier, these leaders had put forward their own plan for Ukraine's victory, urging the White House to make the corresponding political commitments. In essence, their proposal was clear: provide Ukraine with all the weapons and authorizations it needs to secure victory.

It is evident that the White House was keen to gauge the general direction of the plan, the author believes.

"The lack of criticism from the committee chairmen—who were supposed to receive the White House plan—suggests that the plan is relatively sound and aligns with the expectations of pro-Ukrainian Republican committee chairs. If it had fallen short of their standards, I doubt they would have missed the chance to criticize the White House, even subtly, especially in an election year, without delving into the details of the document."

However, some aspects of the White House's plan did eventually leak to the media, though a month later and in limited detail.

CNN reported that, in preparing the plan, the White House received a report from General Cavoli, the Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Armed Forces in Europe. Cavoli is the key figure responsible for ensuring the logistical needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are met, particularly in the delivery and oversight of weaponry.

The report revealed that Cavoli had submitted a list of essential weapon systems for Ukraine. Among the items on this list were the AGM-158 JASSM, a widely recognized air-launched cruise missile, and the U.S. Link 16 secure communications network. Notably, with the Netherlands and Denmark moving swiftly to deliver F-16s by the end of the year, the potential inclusion of JASSM for these aircraft could be a significant asset.

"The fact that the White House sought such a list is revealing. While it doesn’t guarantee that these weapons will be provided, it underscores the ongoing discussions and the active consideration of the types of weaponry being prioritized for Ukraine’s needs," the author concludes.