The United States is set to announce a new $400 million military aid package for Ukraine as Russian troops continue their advances in the northeast Kharkiv region. This aid comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned of a “really difficult situation” in the east but expressed confidence that the new weapons would help them push back against the Russian forces.
The aid package includes High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, rockets for them, artillery, air defense and anti-tank munitions, armored vehicles, and other weapons and equipment. This assistance will be provided through presidential drawdown authority, allowing for quick deployment of systems and munitions from existing U.S. stockpiles to the war front.
Since President Joe Biden signed a $95 billion foreign aid package, the Pentagon has already sent $1 billion in weapons through drawdown authority. Additionally, a $6 billion package funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative has been announced, but these weapons may take longer to arrive due to longer-term contracts with the defense industry.
Ukraine has been facing shortages of ammunition and manpower, allowing Russia to gain an edge on the battlefield. The new aid package aims to address these shortages and provide Ukraine with the necessary resources to defend against Russian aggression. The U.S. has not confirmed if the aid includes more long-range ballistic missiles, but previous shipments of these missiles have already been used by Ukraine to strike Russian military targets.