Pentagon to announce another $1.2B weapons package for Ukraine – when does it end?

05/11/2023 / By Ramon Tomey

The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced plans to provide $1.2 billion worth of weapons for Ukraine. This forms part of an ongoing program to build up the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) over the long term and provide for immediate battlefield needs.

The DoD confirmed the plan on May 9, adding that the money was drawn from an authority called the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). A press release from the department stated that under the USAI, the DoD can buy weapons and military directly from defense companies and partners instead of drawing from existing U.S. stocks.

The package includes air defense systems, ammunition and “support to enable Ukraine to better maintain its on-hand systems and equipment,” the press release stated. It added that following the announcement, the Defense Department will open bids to contractors for the equipment.

“This USAI package underscores the continued U.S. commitment to meeting Ukraine’s most urgent requirements by committing critical near-term capabilities such as air defense system and munitions, while also building the capacity of [the AFU] to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression over the long term,” the DoD said.

Since the Russia-Ukraine war commenced in February 2022, Washington has committed more than $36.9 billion in security assistance to Kyiv.

Washington keeps on putting money into the Ukraine war machine

Prior to the DoD’s USAI initiative, the Biden administration announced on May 3 a separate package for shorter-term security assistance. According to Reuters, the package consisted of artillery rounds, howitzers and Carl-Gustaf anti-tank rifles. It also included Hydra-70 unguided rockets, which can be fired from helicopters against entrenched Russian ground positions.

In a statement, the DoD said weapons in this May 3 package will be pulled from existing U.S. stocks so they can be immediately sent to the front lines. The package marks the 37th drawdown of Defense Department inventories since August 2021.

The month before, the Biden administration announced another $2.6 billion in security assistance for Ukraine. Of this amount, $2.1 billion will be used to source new air defense munitions directly from American manufacturers. The rest of the money will be used for thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition, mortar systems, rockets and anti-tank weapons. (Related: Costly war: American aid to Ukraine about to hit $65 billion.)

In February, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited Ukraine and pledged assistance to the country. She remarked that her first visit there “underscored Washington’s commitment to continuing its economic support.”

Following talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Yellen announced another multi-billion dollar package to boost the country’s economy. This came in the form of an additional $1.2 billion transfer, the first tranche of a $10 billion assistance package from Washington to Kyiv.

“Maintaining an effective government is indispensable to Ukraine’s capacity to respond to Russian attacks and other emergencies,” said Yellen. “Our economic support is keeping essential public services running. These services maintain economic and social stability in Ukraine.”

Head over to UkraineWitness.com for more stories about U.S. aid packages to Ukraine.

Watch Brother Nathanael Kapner discussing America’s aid packages to Ukraine below.

This video is from the jonastheprophet channel on Brighteon.com.