The United States has committed in excess of $60 billion in aid to Ukraine since the beginning of Moscow's military operation last year, according to the Washington Post.

A recent analysis has shown that various US aid packages to Kiev have included $43 billion in direct military aid, making it the US' biggest investment in a country since World War II, according to the paper.

"These are off-the-charts numbers," Michael O'Hanlon of the think tank Brookings Institution told the WP.

He added that Washington's financial assistance to Ukraine could only be historically compared to the Marshall Plan - a US foreign aid package issued to Western Europe after the end of World War II. Adjusted for inflation, that initiative funded war recovery efforts to the tune of around $150 billion over three years.

The paper notes that Washington's aid to Ukraine vastly surpasses the financial support issued to some of the US' more traditional foreign partners, such as Israel, which was sent $8.6 billion in 2022 and 2023, and the $6.2 billion that was sent to Egypt and Jordan combined during the same period. It also significantly eclipses US financial support for Taiwan.

The US Department of Defense has an annual budget of $1.77 trillion, according to government data.

Some signs have shown that public support in the US for continued military assistance is weakening as the conflict enters its 18th month. Research in June found that 44% of Republicans or right-leaning independents believed that Joe Biden's administration was spending too much on Ukraine aid.

However, O'Hanlon pointed out that the US could continue to fund Ukraine indefinitely. "We could do it forever," he said. "It's not economically unsustainable. But it's probably politically unsustainable."

Easy, when you own the printing press.

Moscow has frequently cited Western support for Ukraine as a primary factor in prolonging the conflict. Anatoly Antonov, Russia's ambassador to the US, responded to a renewed military package from the US to Ukraine last month by saying it is "beyond morality and common sense." He claimed that while Washington seeks to portray itself as Kiev's "selfless benefactor," in practice it only strives for "more human suffering and deaths."

Russian officials have repeatedly warned that shipments of heavy weapons and other military aid to Ukraine make NATO members de facto direct participants in Moscow's conflict with Kiev. Moscow also insisted that Western support would not change the course of the outcome.

Speaking to reporters during a special briefing on Monday, Nuland revealed that she met with the military government's defense chief Moussa Barmou and three other senior commanders. She described the negotiations as "extremely frank and at times quite difficult."

Last month, the presidential guard detained Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum and his family, sparking international condemnation. The coup also triggered pushback from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which threatened military action against Niger's plotters unless they reinstate Bazoum. The new government has refused to back down.

Nuland also said that she urged the coup leaders to hear our offer to try to work with them to solve this diplomatically and return to constitutional order.

"I got the sense in my meetings today that the people who have taken this action here understand very well the risks to their sovereignty when Wagner is invited in."

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IRGC commander Hossein Salami said that Iran viewed the US presence as an opportunity to boost the country's army production capacity.

Hundreds of new strategic systems, equipment and weapons were delivered to the armed forces in a ceremony attended by Revolutionary Guard Corps General Comd. Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami and senior military officials.

The weapons and equipment were manufactured by the Ministry of Defence and affiliated entities, including missile launch ramps, radar systems and hundreds of cruise and ballistic missiles.

Salami said:

"The enemy's presence has transformed into an opportunity for us. This has allowed us to capitalise on opportunities, boost the growth rate of our defence and military power production by breaking the chain of threats and dangers."

Tanker seizures crisis

The US seized Iranian tankers carrying crude oil due to unilateral sanctions and attempts to auction the oil.

In response, Iran intervened with tankers around the Persian Gulf, citing maritime regulation non-compliance.

In late April, the US Navy seized the Suez Rajan tanker carrying 800,000 barrels of oil in southern African waters, towing it to the American state of Texas.

In retaliation, Iran seized the Advantage Sweet tanker on April 27 operated by Chevron in the Gulf of Oman. Tehran said it violated "international maritime rules" by colliding with an Iranian ship and fleeing.

On May 3, Iran seized the Panama-flagged Niovi oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz.

US forces announced on June 5 that the Iranian navy fired at two oil tankers near the Gulf of Oman, including at the Richmond Voyager, in an attempt to seize them, but those efforts were thwarted. Iran, however, revealed that a court order was issued to seize the Bahamas-flagged Richmond Voyager oil tanker operated by Chevron in the Persian Gulf, as it collided with an Iranian ship and fled.

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