The United States on Thursday introduced a brand new $600 million long-term safety help package deal for Ukraine, offering funding for an array of weapons and different gear.
The package deal got here only a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv and pledged $1 billion in new army and humanitarian assist.
The Defense Department stated the newest package deal will come via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which gives cash for long-term contracts for weapons methods that should be constructed or modified by protection corporations.
Included within the assist is funding for gear to maintain and combine Ukraine’s air protection methods, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), artillery rounds, digital warfare and counter-electronic warfare gear, demolition munitions and mine-clearing gear, in addition to for coaching and upkeep.
The assist comes because the Biden administration works to point out its continued help for Ukraine’s three-month-old counteroffensive, as troops attempt to break via Russian defenses and clear huge mine fields. Some allies have quietly expressed issues in regards to the slow-moving offensive, whereas others say Ukraine has made some progress and has efficiently used air defenses to knock down Russian missiles.
Blinken, on a visit to Kyiv on Wednesday, introduced that the Pentagon will present about $175 million for weapons that will probably be pulled from Pentagon shares and an extra $100 million in grants to permit the Ukrainians to buy arms and gear.
In addition, he introduced the U.S. will ship practically $805 million in non-arms-related assist to Ukraine, together with $300 million for regulation enforcement, $206 million in humanitarian assist, $203 million to fight corruption and $90.5 million for eradicating mines, the State Department stated. That package deal additionally included a beforehand introduced $5.4 million switch to Ukraine of frozen belongings from Russian oligarchs.
The assist introduced this week comes from cash beforehand accredited by Congress. President Joe Biden has requested $21 billion extra in army and humanitarian assist for Ukraine for the ultimate months of 2023, nevertheless it’s not clear how a lot – if any – will probably be accredited by Congress.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
