Biden is considering allowing American military contractors in Ukraine

CNN reports that the Biden Administration is taking the first steps towards lifting the de facto ban on American private military contractors working in Ukraine.

Although nothing is certain at this point, this wound represented a major shift for the White House when it comes to US involvement in Ukraine.

The Biden Administration has made clear that it won’t send US troops to fight in Ukraine, but as the conflict drags on, it has been forced to seek alternatives to aid Kyiv.

CNN explains that this new policy would allow the Pentagon to offer contracts to American companies in Ukraine for the first time since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.

The Pentagon states that it hopes that these American military contractors will help to speed up the maintenance and repair of weapons systems being used by the Ukrainian military.

Business Insider writes that so far, maintenance and repairs have been conducted remotely, through video calls and chat lines.

Some seriously damaged equipment has been sent to neighboring countries, such as Poland, for repairs.

According to Business Insider, the move would cross a line for Biden, who tries to dispel the Kremlin argument that the United States and NATO as a whole is fighting a proxy war in Ukraine.

The White House plan, described by Business Insider, would involve a few dozen military contractors, up to 200, in Ukraine at any given time.

This is a stark contrast to previous conflicts, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, which involved tens of thousands of private military personnel contracted by the US government.

Regardless if they like it or not, it seems that the United States and other NATO members are getting more drawn into Ukraine. Is a direct confrontation with Moscow inevitable?

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