The United States is sending more Patriot missiles to Ukraine and will invest $60 billion in domestic arms manufacturing to support Kyiv.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Friday an additional military aid of $60 billion to Ukraine. This is the second aid package announced this week. President Biden signed a foreign aid bill providing new funds to Ukraine, leading to the immediate announcement of another $10 billion package.
After holding a virtual conference with dozens of international supporters of Kyiv, Austin told reporters: “This is the largest security assistance package we have pledged to date.”
Austin pointed out: “They need air defense interception weapons, they need artillery systems and ammunition. They need… armored vehicles, they need maintenance and support. All these things are included in this package.”
Unlike the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program, this $60 billion military aid does not involve equipment from the US military’s defense stockpile, but instead channels funds into American defense enterprises to procure air defense artillery and other ammunition needed by Ukraine. This means that these weapons will take longer to reach the battlefield but will enhance Ukraine’s defense capabilities in the long run.
In recent months, Russia has launched multiple deadly attacks against civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Ukraine has requested Western allies to provide more air defense systems, and this new package includes interceptor weapons such as the Patriot missile system and the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS).
The Biden administration stated that aiding Ukraine will benefit American defense manufacturers and the US economy.
Earlier this week, while signing the foreign aid bill, Biden stated: “We are helping Ukraine but also investing in our own industrial base to strengthen our national security and support job opportunities in nearly 40 states across America.”
At the opening of the virtual conference, Ukrainian President Zelensky said: “While we were waiting for the US decision for support, the Russian army has successfully seized the initiative on the battlefield.”
Zelensky stated: “Now, we are not only able to stabilize the front line but also move forward to achieve Ukraine’s goals in the war.”
He emphasized: “The defenders of Ukraine need your full and timely support.”
A senior official from the US Department of Defense told Agence France-Presse this week that Ukrainian forces have been running low on ammunition for quite some time. He said that assistance from the US and other countries will enable Ukraine to regain the initiative, but “this will not be a swift process,” and there are no expectations for a large-scale counteroffensive in the near future.