US President Joe Biden announced the allocation of the largest package of military assistance to Ukraine. Its size will be $2.8 billion.
“This will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and ammunition, anti-aircraft systems and radars so that it can continue to defend itself in the long term,” Biden said.
Since this aid package is covered by the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, it will not be drawn from US stockpiles. According to CNN, citing a US official, contracts will be made with arms manufacturers instead.
Le Monde, also citing US officials, says that, unlike most previous packages, the new one will mostly be aimed at strengthening the defense of Ukraine in the medium and long term. Past aid packages, in turn, have focused on weapons and ammunition and have included US resources already in place.
The previous US aid package for Ukraine was announced on August 19. Its amount was $ 775 million, it included 15 Sky Eagle drones, Harm missiles to fight radar, 40 wheeled armored vehicles with enhanced mine protection MRAP, Humvee jeeps, TOW anti-tank systems and a thousand Javelins.