The US Department of Defense announced a new security assistance package on Friday, which totals up to $2.1 billion and includes critical air defense and ammunition capabilities.
The support is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which procures capabilities from the industry, unlike the presidential drawdowns, which make military equipment drawn directly from US military stocks quickly available to Ukraine.
This means that the Friday announcement represents the beginning of a contracting process to provide additional priority capabilities to Ukraine.
According to the Pentagon, the capabilities in this announcement include additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems, HAWK air defense systems and missiles, 105mm and 203mm artillery rounds, Puma unmanned aerial Systems; Laser-guided rocket system munitions, support for training, maintenance, and sustainment activities.
In total, the US has committed more than $40.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including more than $39.7 billion since the beginning of Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022.
“It’s very clear that on a daily basis, there are Russian forces attempting to kill innocent Ukrainians. And we — the United States government — are going to work with the international community to do everything we can to help them defend their country and take back sovereign territory,” DOD Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday during a briefing at the Pentagon.
Ryder also announced that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley will host a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on June 15 in Brussels. This group coordinates military aid for Ukraine between the US and other allies.
