The US Department of Defense has announced up to $175 million in additional security assistance to Ukraine to counter Russia’s unwarranted advances. The package includes air defense equipment, artillery rounds, and anti-tank weapons.
This marks the 46th removal of equipment from the DoD inventory for Ukraine through August 2021 and demonstrates the US commitment to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken emphasized the need for Ukraine to have everything it needs for successful retaliation and a strong deterrent and defensive ability to prevent future aggression.
The latest tranche is part of the $6.2 billion in presidential drawdown authorization restored in June following a reassessment of the total value of commodities already held in Ukraine. As of the end of last month, about $5.75 billion was left in the restored funds. The Biden administration has pledged more than $43 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Assistance is provisioned to draw down existing US stockpiles and through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the authorization under which the US produces capabilities from industry and partners. The Biden administration has pledged to extend support to Ukraine as long as necessary to counter Russian aggression, and the US continues to participate in international coalitions supporting Ukrainian forces. Pentagon officials have pledged to continue supporting Ukraine while maintaining US readiness.
