Additional ammunition for air defense systems, long-range artillery, and unmanned aerial vehicles is included in the package and timed to coincide with recent drone assaults on Moscow and preparations for a counteroffensive by Ukraine.
The United States has supplied Kyiv with weapons and other military equipment since Russia launched its invasion.
We are grateful to 🇺🇸 for the new defense assistance package worth $300 million. This is extremely important and timely assistance to protect 🇺🇦 sky from Russian missile and drone terror, as well as to bolster the capabilities of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Another example of…
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2023
On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced another $300 million in military aid for Ukraine.
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The United States is mere days away from defaulting on our debt and Joe Biden just announced he’s sending another $300 million to Ukraine.
Time to end this madness. It’s not our war and we can’t afford it.
— Senator Michael Rulli (@michaelrulli) May 30, 2023
More U.S. military aid, including air-defense system ammo, drones, and artillery, is coming to Ukraine. Raids and strikes on Russian territory have been mostly uncriticized by Western countries. Macron demands that the West provide Ukraine with “tangible and credible” security guarantees.
⚡️The 🇺🇸USA announced a new $300 million military aid package for 🇺🇦Ukraine, — Kirby.
It will include:
▪️ammunition for the “Patriot” air defense system;
▪️ ammunition for artillery and HIMARS;
▪️aircraft missiles “Zuni”
▪️ SAM “Avenger”;
▪️ MANPADS “Stinger”. pic.twitter.com/5oJg2kkKIO— 🇺🇦Ukrainian Front (@front_ukrainian) May 31, 2023
In a retaliatory move, Germany has closed Russian consulates. The odds are stacked against the United Nations’ safety plan for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor.
An advisor to Zelensky has proposed including Russia’s acceptance of a buffer zone in any potential peace deal. Blinken meets with European leaders in Sweden to talk about Russia and China.
Sincere gratitude to Egils Levits @valstsgriba for the dedicated support for Ukraine in the face of full-scale Russian aggression. I highly appreciate your courageous visits to our country during the war, persistence of efforts to consolidate the international community in…
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 31, 2023
Other drone and long-range artillery ammo are included in the shipment. In preparation for its long-awaited offensive, Kyiv is receiving a variety of air defense systems and ammunition from the United States, including Patriot air defense system ammunition and ammunition for other air defense systems such as Stingers, Avengers, and Aim-7 systems, according to a statement released by the Pentagon.
Defense authorities have claimed that the assistance comprises tens of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition, additional artillery support, and anti-armor weapons.
The Kremlin has accused Kyiv of being responsible for Tuesday’s drone attack on Moscow. Ukraine was not “directly involved” in the attack but was “happy to watch,” according to a senior Ukrainian official.
U.S. officials have stated that no American-made drones or weapons have been utilized in assaults against Moscow. However, according to a Pentagon official on Wednesday, the fact that the United States plans to supply additional ammunition for Ukrainian drones demonstrates how serious the Biden administration is about equipping Ukraine in anticipation of the counter-offensive. U.S. efforts to provide Ukraine an edge over Russia’s ongoing attacks are further suggested by including air defense weapons in the package.
The drone munitions in the aid package were not designated for use with which unmanned systems by the Pentagon. The United States has provided Ukraine with surveillance and attack drones in the past year, though officials have been cagey about specifics about the systems delivered.
According to the Pentagon, the United States has provided Ukraine with $37.6 billion in security support since Russia invaded in February last year.
Defense Department supplies have been drawn down 39 times by the Biden administration since August 2021, according to a statement released by the Pentagon. “It includes key capabilities to support Ukraine’s air defenders,” the authors write, “as they bravely protect Ukraine’s soldiers, civilians, and critical infrastructure amid Russia’s continuing airstrikes killing civilians across Ukraine.”
On Wednesday, White House press secretary John F. Kirby announced that the government would continue the weapons shipments through the fall fiscal year’s end. “
whether asked whether the administration would need to go to Congress for more money for Ukraine, Mr. Kirby answered, “We’ve got some time to figure that out.”
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