Biden appears to have found a workaround to the GOP Ukraine aid block — routing weapons via Greece

• Joe Biden is sending weapons to Greece, which is then sending its own to Ukraine.
• Greece is reported to have missile-defense systems vital for Ukraine.

Joe Biden appears to have found a way around the Republican Party's blockade of Ukraine aid using a little-known presidential power.

In a letter to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, reported by Greek media, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US would send Greece a batch of weapons and equipment free of charge under the Excess Defense Articles law.

The rule states that the US president can authorize the transfer of weapons deemed to be surplus to US requirements to other countries for little or no money.

Under the deal, the US will send Greece two C-130H aircraft, 60 Bradley armored fighting vehicles, 10 engines for P-3 patrol planes, three Protector-class ships, and a consignment of transport trucks. That's in addition to selling Greece a fleet of 40 F-35 fighter jets for $8 billion.

The transfer was first reported by Forbes, citing Greek media reports.

But as a condition of the transfer, Blinken said, Greece should explore ways of providing weapons from its own arsenal to Ukraine, with Greek daily Kathimerini reporting that Greek military leaders have privately agreed to do so.

"We continue to be interested in the defense capabilities that Greece could transfer or sell to Ukraine," Blinken writes, and dangled the prospect of new, lucrative weapons deals if Athens agrees.

"If these capabilities are of interest to Ukraine, and pending an assessment of their status and value by the US government, we can explore opportunities for possible additional Foreign Armed Forces Financing of up to $200 million for Greece."

According to the report, Greece has weapons such as the S-300 missile-defense systems and Hawk surface-to-air missiles that would prove valuable to Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Kurt Volker, a former US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations, wrote for the European Center for Policy Analysis recently that the Excess Defense Articles law was one of a number of tools available to Biden to keep weapons to Ukraine flowing.

But, said Volker, "none of these are ideal," and the best way to get Ukraine the support it requires is to pass a new Ukraine aid bill.

"These improvisations will not produce enough equipment or money to sustain Ukraine's war effort," noted Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, of the Excess Defense Articles law and related measures, though can help plug equipment shortages.

To deal comes as Republicans in the House of Representatives continue to block a $66 billion aid package to Ukraine, amid partisan squabbling over linked border security measures.

The value of weapons that can be transferred under the Excess Defense Articles law is capped at $500 million.

According to reports, Ukraine is running low on vital supplies of ammunition and equipment as it battles a Russian offensive.