Biden may let US defense contractors deploy to Ukraine, but not like in Iraq and Afghanistan: report

• CNN reports that Biden is considering allowing US private military contractors to go to Ukraine.
• Sources told the outlet that they would be restricted to helping maintain US-supplied equipment. 
• The Biden administration has long ruled out a move like this. 

President Joe Biden's administration is moving toward a plan that would allow US military contractors to deploy to Ukraine for the first time in a limited capacity, CNN reported.

Four US officials familiar with the matter told the outlet that a policy is being worked on to allow the Pentagon to issue private contracts to send troops for the maintenance and repair of US-supplied systems in Ukraine.

Biden himself has not signed off on the policy, CNN reported.

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," they added.

Should the draft plan go ahead, it would be put into action later this year, the officials told CNN.

The move would cross a long-held red line for Biden, who has been wary of taking actions that would put American troops in the firing line or bolster Russian claims that the US, and NATO more broadly, is fighting a proxy war in Ukraine.

CNN's sources insisted that the plan includes the requirement that contractors develop strong risk-mitigation plans.

They also said that the move would likely see numbers from just a few dozen, up to around 200, contractors in Ukraine at any one time.

This would be a far cry from the previous situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, which saw tens of thousands of private personnel contracted by the US.

If it went ahead, the move would likely help relieve considerable logistics headaches over keeping US-supplied weapons and equipment working.

US maintenance support remains remote, conducted via video calls and chat lines, with seriously damaged equipment needing to be sent to neighboring countries for repairs.

This is a problem for artillery like Howitzers, which are needed almost constantly for the defense of the front line — but is also likely to be a key issue for the F-16s Ukraine is readying to use, which bring with them a host of complex maintenance needs.

In February, European leaders balked at French President Emmanuel Macron's statement that the deployment of Western troops to Ukraine should not be ruled out.

As of earlier this month, Macron is proceeding with a plan to bring together a coalition of countries who could send troops to Ukraine in a similar supporting role to the plan being considered in the US — the training of Ukrainian troops and the maintenance of equipment.

Allowing US private contractors to go to Ukraine would not be the first time that the Biden White House has crossed its self-imposed red lines regarding support for Ukraine.

F-16s were a no-go until last summer — while more recently, the US said it was allowing Ukraine to use its weaponry in limited strikes on Russian soil.