July 19 (UPI) — The Biden administration on Wednesday announced another military package for Ukraine, committing an additional $1.3 billion worth of weaponry and equipment to bolster Kyiv’s ability to defend itself from Russia.
The package includes four National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, drones and counter-drone equipment, trucks and support for training, maintenance and sustainment activities as well as various munitions and artillery rounds.
The equipment will be provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which sees the United States secure the weaponry and training from partners and companies rather than from U.S. stockpiles as with presidential drawdowns.
The Department of Defense will now initiate the process to contract companies to provide the equipment listed Wednesday.
“This USAI package highlights the continued U.S. commitment to meeting Ukraine’s pressing requirements by committing critical near-term capabilities while also building the enduring capacity of Ukraine’s Armed Forces to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression over the mid and long term,” the Pentagon said Wednesday in a statement.
The announcement came a day after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin virtually held the 14th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contract Group of some 50 countries that was formed to support Ukraine’s defense.
During the meeting, Austin called on the ally nations “to continue to dig deep into their military stocks because we’re going to do what it takes to support Ukraine’s sovereign right to live free today and for the future.”
He said they discussed Ukraine’s need for ammunition as well as plans to ramp up national and multinational production through a European Union initiative.
F-16 fighter jet training by Denmark and the Netherlands was also currently under way and both Sweden and France have signed bilateral agreements with Ukraine for defense procurements, he said.
“These commitments underscore how badly [Russian President Vladimir] Putin miscalculated when he invaded Ukraine last year,” he said.
With tens of billions of dollars committed to Ukraine’s defense, the United States is by far the largest backer of Ukraine as it continues to push back against a full-scale invasion that was launched by Russia more than 500 days ago on Feb. 24, 2022.
