US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced $6 billion in new military aid for Ukraine on Friday as Washington rushes to fill gaps left by months of limited American assistance.
The package is the second this week, following another valued at $1 billion that was announced just after US President Joe Biden signed a much-delayed bill to provide new funding for Ukraine as it struggles to hold back Russian advances.
“I’m… pleased to announce today an additional commitment of $6 billion through our Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative,” Austin told journalists following the conclusion of a virtual meeting of dozens of Kyiv’s international supporters.
“This is the largest security assistance package that we’ve committed to date,” Austin said, adding that it will include air defense munitions, counter-drone systems, artillery ammunition and maintenance and sustainment support.
Unlike the $1 billion package announced Wednesday, which featured items that will be drawn from US stocks, the latest assistance will be procured from the defense industry, meaning it will take longer to arrive on the battlefield.
The United States has been a key military backer of Ukraine, committing tens of billions of dollars in security assistance since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
But prior to this week, Washington had announced new aid for Ukraine on just one other occasion this year, a $300 million package in March that was only made possible by using money that the Pentagon had saved on other purchases.