President Joe Biden’s administration is considering a plan to deploy US military contractors to Ukraine in a limited capacity for the first time, CNN reported.
Four US officials familiar with the matter revealed that the Pentagon is working on a policy to issue private contracts, enabling troops to maintain and repair US-supplied systems in Ukraine. However, Biden has not yet approved the policy, CNN noted.
A White House spokesperson told Business Insider: “We have not made any decisions and any discussion of this is premature. The President is absolutely firm that he will not be sending US troops to Ukraine.”
If the draft plan proceeds, it could be implemented later this year, officials told CNN. This move would break a long-held stance for Biden, who has been cautious about actions that might endanger American troops or fuel Russian claims of a US-NATO proxy war in Ukraine.
CNN’s sources emphasized that the plan would require contractors to develop robust risk-mitigation strategies. The deployment would likely involve only a few dozen to around 200 contractors in Ukraine at any time.
This scenario contrasts sharply with the previous situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, where tens of thousands of private personnel were contracted by the US. In those conflicts, extensive contractor presence supported military operations and logistics, providing a critical component of the US effort.
If implemented, the Ukraine plan could alleviate logistical challenges in maintaining US-supplied weapons and equipment. Currently, US maintenance support is conducted remotely via video calls and chat lines, with severely damaged equipment being sent to neighboring countries for repairs.
