The Defense Department has announced $1 billion in military aid for Ukraine following the passage of a $95 billion security supplemental spending package that President Biden signed into law today.
“This package will surge munitions, weapons and equipment forward to support Ukraine’s ability to defend its frontlines, protect its cities and counter Russia’s continued attacks,” DOD said. “With the bipartisan support of Congress, Ukraine can count on strong and resolute U.S. leadership to provide consistent security assistance support -- together with some 50 Allies and partners -- to ensure its brave defenders receive the critical capabilities needed to fight Russian aggression.”
The new military aid package, funded via Presidential Drawdown Authority, includes:
• RIM-7 and AIM-9M missiles for air defense;
• Stinger anti-aircraft missiles;
• Small arms and additional rounds of small arms ammunition, including .50 caliber rounds to counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS);
• Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
• 155mm artillery rounds, including High Explosive and Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions rounds;
• 105mm artillery rounds;
• 60mm mortar rounds;
• Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles;
• Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles;
• Humvees
• Logistics support vehicles;
• Tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment;
• Tube-Launched, Optically Tracked, Wire-Guided missiles;
• Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;
• Precision aerial munitions;
• Airfield support equipment;
• Anti-armor mines;
• Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
• Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing; and
• Night vision devices; and
• Spare parts, field equipment, training munitions, maintenance, and other ancillary equipment.
In a speech at the White House, Biden said the weapons will begin being transferred from U.S. stocks to Ukraine immediately.
"I'm making sure the shipments start right away,” he said. “In the next few hours -- literally in a few hours -- we are going to begin sending equipment to Ukraine for air defense munitions, artillery for rocket systems, and armored vehicles.”
A PDA action of this kind for Ukraine has not occurred since December 2023 and follows months of partisan gridlock in Congress. The Pentagon did announce a $300 million weapons transfer to Ukraine in March but it was tapping unexpected savings from various Army contracts to do so.
The United States, according to a new DOD fact sheet, has committed more than $44.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration.