Washington| The United States has announced an additional $3 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine, its largest arms aid ever. According to Xinhua news agency, the new package announced by the US Department of Defense (DOD) includes six additional National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS). This included additional munitions for up to 245,000 rounds of 155 artillery ammunition, up to 65,000 rounds of 120 mortar ammunition, 24 counter-artillery radars, support equipment for the Puma Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and Scan Eagle UAS systems, the Vampire Counter-UAS System. as well as laser-guided rocket systems.
The DoD said in a statement on Wednesday that it had entered into contracts with arms manufacturers, in which the approved funds were appropriated to buy for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. This is different from the Presidential Drawdown Authority, through which President Joe Biden has so far approved 19 phases of arms deliveries to Ukraine from the DoD’s existing stock.
The US has pledged more than $13.5 billion in security aid to Ukraine since Biden took office.
Wednesday marks both the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union and the half-year point of the Russo-Ukraine conflict.
Biden said in a statement earlier in the day that the recently awarded $2.98 billion in arms aid is the largest security aid ever.
