'Ought to Be on Their Side': Ex-General Tells Biden to Give Ukraine Planes

A retired U.S. general said that the U.S. "ought to be" on Ukraine's side "in every way possible" following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech to Congress on Wednesday.

Retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, a former national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, said that there are "creative ways to help in Ukraine" short of sending U.S. troops into the country, Mediaite reported. This includes giving them planes and other weapons.

"If they want a BB gun, give them a BB gun, if they want a rock, give them a rock. If they want air defense, give them an air defense. And for God's sake, give them MiGs too! Poland wants to give them up," he said.

Zelensky has been making appeals for aid from other countries, like Poland, during the Russia-Ukraine war, and his address to Congress was no exception. He called on U.S. President Joe Biden to continue putting pressure on Russia through sanctions and other measures "until the Russian military machine stops."

The passionate speech has spurred several American officials and leaders, including Kellogg, to call on Biden to increase America's support for Ukraine.

Kellogg was participating in a Fox News panel when he urged Biden to provide the additional aid, Mediaite reported. He praised Zelensky's "powerful" delivery of the speech, which received a standing ovation in Congress.

"He has weaponized the English language," Kellogg said.

He described the Ukrainian president as a "wartime leader" who had rallied residents of the embattled country.

"Right now, what's absolutely stunning to everybody is that Ukraine is fighting Russia to a standstill," Kellogg said. "Russia is not winning this war."

Noting Zelensky's calls for additional resources and support like ammunition and logistics, Kellogg concluded: "Let's give it to him," according to Mediaite.

Biden met some of the requests by announcing on Wednesday that the U.S. would be providing an additional $800 million worth of security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Defense will be directly transferring equipment to the Ukrainian military "to help them defend their country against Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion," the White House said in a fact sheet.

The equipment, which will be in addition to the equipment the U.S. has already committed to Ukraine, includes anti-aircraft systems, anti-armor weapons and systems, firearms, ammunition and body armor.

The package does not include plans to carry out the transfer of the MiG-29 jets Kellogg urged the U.S. to send to Ukraine.

Newsweek has reached out to Department of Defense for comment but did not hear back by publication time.

Update 3/16/22, 3:06 p.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information and background.