White House announces new military aid package to Ukraine worth $3bln

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Jan 2023 21:53

This new military assistance package to Ukraine includes Bradley military vehicles, self-propelled howitzer artillery guns, MRAPS vehicles, Sea Sparrow missiles, and ammo.

White House Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre

White House Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre announced on Friday a new $3 billion package in military aid to Ukraine, the first since the year 2023 started.

"Today, the United States will demonstrate our continued enduring commitment to Ukraine's ability to defend itself with the announcement of over $3 billion in new military assistance to Ukraine," Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing today.

According to Jean-Pierre, the package includes Bradley military vehicles, self-propelled howitzer artillery guns, MRAPS vehicles, Sea Sparrow missiles, and ammo, among other military materials and equipment.

JUST IN: @StateDept's @SecBlinken on new +$3.75 billion aid package for #Ukraine

Includes $2.85 billion drawdown from @DeptofDefense stocks"to be provided immediately":

-Bradley fighting vehicles
-artillery systems
-armored personnel carriers
-surface to air missiles
-ammo pic.twitter.com/h0pTOgk9KE
— Jeff Seldin (@jseldin) January 6, 2023

The package also includes $682 million in assistance for European partners to reinforce NATO's presence in the eastern flank and $225 million to revamp Ukraine's military and build its long-term capacity.

"[T]he package is expected to include… $225 million in foreign military financing for Ukraine to build the long-term capacity and modernization of Ukraine's military," Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing.

"Today's assistance also includes $682 million for regional partners and allies on NATO's eastern flank to incentivize and backfill donations of military equipment."

In response to the decision by the White House to send Bradley fighting vehicles to Ukraine, Russia's Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said on Thursday that this indicates that the US does not want any peace or political settlement for the war in Ukraine.

"This step [the delivery of Bradley fighting vehicles] comes as a confirmation that our interlocutors in the United States have not even tried to listen to our numerous calls to take into account possible consequences of such a dangerous course by Washington," Antonov relayed to journalists, adding that "nobody should still have doubts who bears responsibility for prolonging this conflict. All the actions by the Administration indicate a lack of any desire for a political settlement."

Discussions about the "defensive nature" of weapons supplied by Western countries have become "absurd", as he continued that "it is finally becoming clear to the whole international community that in 2014 the US unleashed a real proxy-war against Russia by supporting nazi criminals in Kiev."