Washington, DC — Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says it’s time for the US to provide more long range weapons to Ukraine.
In June, the US shipped artillery rockets to Ukraine. Ernst supports sending more advanced guided missiles that can go longer distances.
President Biden released a billion dollars worth of military hardware to Ukraine this week. Ernst says without longer range missiles, the war will drag on for years, and much of Ukraine will be destroyed.
Ukraine has been pushing for a shipment of US missiles that can hit targets up to 190 miles away. President Biden has said the US does not intend to provide Ukraine with weapons that could reach into Russian territory. Ernst says that’s risk averse and it’s time to take a more aggressive stance against Russia.
Russian forces occupy about 20 percent of Ukraine territory today, according to Ernst, and she says they’ll continue inching forward without a change in tactics. Ernst, a Republican who was in the Iowa National Guard, does not support sending US troops into Ukraine, but has voted to provide the money so the US remains the main supplier of weapons for Ukraine’s military.
