US announces new $300 million arms package for Ukraine
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The United States is sending more arms to Ukraine in a bid to deter Russia, but it seems to be failing in its goal.
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A shipment of equipment and defensive munitions from the United States arrives at Boryspil Airport, just outside Kiev, on January 25
The United States is giving out a package of arms worth some $300 million to Ukraine, the Pentagon announced Friday, detailing that the package would include military equipment ranging from laser-guided rocket systems to armored Humvees and drones.
The arms will be procured from the arms industry rather than drawn from pre-existing stockpiles, and the DoD said it represented "the beginning of a contracting process to provide new capabilities to Ukraine’s armed forces."
"This decision underscores the United States' unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in support of its heroic efforts to repel Russia’s war of choice," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said.
Washington had also gathered $800 million worth of arms and military equipment to send to Ukraine in light of the ongoing war in the country, and that package, like the new one, included Switchblade drones.
The new package includes the Puma unmanned aerial system, additional UAS capabilities, night vision devices, thermal imagery systems, machine guns, commercial satellite imagery services, and medical supplies, as per the Pentagon.
"The United States has now committed more than $2.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including more than $1.6 billion in security assistance since Russia’s unprovoked, premeditated invasion," Kirby declared.
The US Congress had passed earlier in March the $1.5 trillion the fiscal year 2022 spending package, and it allocated $13.6 billion for arms deliveries to Ukraine.
The United States has long been scrambling to deliver arms to Ukraine in light of regional tensions, and in February, Washington permitted sending $350 million worth of military aid to Ukraine, which is the largest arms package in US history.
In parallel, the European Union has agreed to send $500 million worth of aid to Kiev, and Ukraine nonetheless still urges the West to boost its military capabilities.
Despite the constant aid from the West, the Ukrainian army is still suffering major defeats at the hands of the Russian armed forces.
On February 24, Moscow launched a special military operation in Ukraine, responding to calls from the people's republics of Donetsk and Lugansk for help in countering the aggression of Ukrainian forces, which has been ongoing since 2014.
