Following President Biden’s visit to Kyiv, the U.S. approved $460 million in new security assistance aid for Ukraine with plans to provide more critical munitions and air surveillance radars.
During remarks alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday in Kyiv, Biden noted the totality of allies and partners’ security contributions for Ukraine to date and how the latest U.S. weapons aid package will bolster efforts to fight against Russia’s ongoing invasion.
“Together, we’ve committed nearly 700 tanks and thousands of armored vehicles, 1,000 artillery systems, more than two million rounds of artillery ammunition, more than 50 advanced launch rocket systems, anti-ship and air defense systems, all to defend Ukraine,” Biden said on Monday. “And just today, [the new U.S.] announcement includes artillery ammunition for HIMARS and howitzers, more Javelins, anti-armor systems, air surveillance radars that’ll protect Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments.”
The U.S.’ latest security assistance package for Kyiv arrives as Russia’s invasion approaches the one-year mark, and is split between $450 million in weapons to be drawn from existing DoD inventories and $10 million “to support ongoing U.S. efforts to provide emergency assistance to help maintain Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” according to a State Department spokesperson.
The latest weapons aid deal includes plans to provide Ukraine with more ammunition for HIMARS launchers, additional 155mm artillery rounds and 120mm mortar rounds, four air surveillance radars, 500 Javelin anti-tank missiles and approximately 2,000 anti-armor rockets.
Ukraine will also receive four Bradley Infantry Fire Support Team vehicles, two tactical vehicles for equipment recovery, Claymore anti-personnel munitions, demolition munitions, night vision devices, tactical secure communications systems, medical supplies and spare parts, according to the Pentagon.
The U.S. previously detailed plans to provide Ukraine with 50 BAE Systems-built M2A2 Bradley vehicles as part of a $2.85 billion weapons package announced in early January (Defense Daily, Jan. 6).
Following his visit to Kyiv, Biden traveled to Poland where he delivered remarks on the ongoing international effort to support Ukraine.
“Brutality will never grind down the will of the free. And Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia. Never,” Biden said on Tuesday at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. “It’s simple. If Russia stopped invading Ukraine, it would end the war. If Ukraine stopped defending itself against Russia, it would be the end of Ukraine.”
Following the ninth gathering of the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group with defense officials from 54 countries in Brussels last week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin detailed efforts among the group to bolster Kyiv’s capabilities ahead of a potential spring offensive operation (Defense Daily, Feb. 14).
“We’re going to continue to work with Ukraine to address Ukraine’s most pressing needs. Again, they’re contemplating an offensive in the spring and that’s just weeks away. And so, we have a lot to get done. So if you think about the number of systems that we’re bringing together, Bradleys, Strykers, Marder [infantry fighting vehicles], CV-90 [combat vehicles], [M]113 [armored personnel carriers], artillery and the list goes on and on. It’s a monumental task to get all those systems together, get the [Ukrainian] troops trained on those platforms and make sure that we have sustainment for all of those systems and get those systems into the fight. So that was really the focus of our conversation today.” Austin said during a press briefing following the meeting.
Biden on Tuesday reaffirmed the U.S.’ commitment along with its allies and partners to continue security assistance efforts for Ukraine.
“One year into this war, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin no longer doubts the strength of our coalition. But he still doubts our conviction. He doubts our staying power. He doubts our continued support for Ukraine. He doubts whether NATO can remain unified,” Biden said in Poland. “But there should be no doubt. Our support for Ukraine will not waver, NATO will not be divided and we will not tire.”