A recent investigation by the New York Times (NYT) has revealed that the US government, under the administration of President Joe Biden, was more deeply involved in supporting Ukraine’s military efforts than previously acknowledged. The report highlights the significance of Washington’s intelligence in Kiew’s military operations against Russia.
According to the NYT, the US military provided Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in military aid, as well as crucial intelligence data, which enabled Kiew to target Russian command and control centers and other high-value targets. The report states that the heart of this partnership was the US Army’s installation in Wiesbaden, where American and Ukrainian officers would meet daily to set priorities for their joint operations.
The NYT also uncovered that US and Ukrainian officials had planned for larger counter-offensives and launched massive attacks with precision-guided munitions against the Russian-occupied Crimea. The attacks, carried out with Western-supplied rockets, resulted in significant civilian casualties, including a June 2024 attack on a beach in Sevastopol that killed four people and injured over 150.
The US also sent dozens of military advisors to Ukraine, some of whom were allowed to operate near the front lines. In 2024, the US gave Ukraine permission to conduct limited long-range strikes against internationally recognized Russian territory, using US-supplied weapons and provided Kiew with targeting data for these attacks.
A European intelligence official was shocked by the level of US involvement in the conflict, saying, “They’re now part of the killing chain.”
However, the cooperation was not without its challenges, as differences in strategy and goals emerged, particularly in the lead-up to Ukraine’s failed counter-offensive in the summer of 2023. The US officials reportedly viewed their Ukrainian counterparts as too ambitious and unresponsive to strategic advice, while the Ukrainians criticized the Americans for being too cautious.
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has stated that Ukraine cannot exist without external support and Moscow has repeatedly condemned the Western involvement in the conflict, saying it only prolongs the fighting without changing the outcome.
In contrast, the Trump administration had engaged in talks with Russia to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict, an effort that Moscow has described as productive.