https://www.politico.com/news/2022/0...nvasion-527375
U.S. approves allied weapons shipments to Ukraine as worries mount
The State Department has given the go-ahead for three NATO allies to rush anti-armor missiles and other U.S.-made weapons to Ukraine, a sign of renewed urgency among Western allies over the threat of a multi-front invasion by Russian forces.
The requests from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania were received in recent weeks, and the last of the three was approved Wednesday after being received the night before, according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an issue that hasn't been announced.
The Biden administration will also begin the process of shipping $200 million worth anti-armor missiles, ammunition and other equipment to Ukraine in the coming days.
Under export control regulations, the three countries were required to obtain approval from the State Department before transferring their weapons to Ukraine. The administration official declined to list the specific weapons that were approved for transfer……
The Russian deployment into Belarus over the weekend adds a worrying new wrinkle to the crisis.
The shift of 100,000 troops into position along Ukraine’s borders, combined with moving forces into Belarus on short notice, is “beyond of course what we would expect with regards to a normal exercise,” the first State Department official said.
According to agreements between Russia and NATO, exercises involving more than 9,000 troops require 42 days' notice, and if the drill includes more than 13,000 troops, international observers are required. Russia has given no notifications thus far.
“That's what normal looks like,” the State Department official said. “What this is, is something entirely different.”