This new aid will enable Ukraine to finance the purchase of long-term armaments. Since the beginning of the war, the United States has helped kyiv to the tune of 36 billion dollars.
The United States announced Tuesday new military aid to Ukraine in the amount of 1.2 billion dollars in order in particular to strengthen the air defense of this country against Russia, immediately welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This new aid reflects “the United States’ determination to continue to support Ukraine by providing it with critical near-term resources such as air defense systems and ‘artillery’ munitions while enhancing its ability to defend itself ‘at longer term,” a Pentagon statement said.
“A sign of solidarity”
The Ukrainian president welcomed a “sign of solidarity” brought on a “symbolic day for us, the Day of Europe and the Day of Victory over Nazism in the Second World War”.
“Together, we are moving towards a new victory!”, said Mr. Zelensky on Twitter, while kyiv says it has been preparing for months a major counter-offensive to liberate the territories occupied by Russia.
Financing the purchase of long-term armaments
This new aid does not come from American stocks and will therefore not be used immediately on the battlefield, but it consists of financing the purchase of longer-term armaments from the defense industry, which avoids drawing in the inventory of the United States already put to contribution.
The Pentagon does not specify the type of air defense system planned, but the aid package includes ammunition for anti-drone systems, as well as 155 mm artillery shells.
A total of $36 billion in US aid
Ukraine is constantly calling on the West to deliver more armor, artillery, ammunition, but also combat aircraft and long-range firing systems to hit Russian logistics far behind the line of forehead.
This new tranche brings total US military assistance to Ukraine to more than $36 billion since the start of the Russian offensive on February 24, 2022.
