The US plans $6 billion in war aid for Kiev – DW – 04/26/2024

The US government is planning a new multi-billion dollar military aid package to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s ongoing invasion, the AP news agency reported citing US officials.

US news channel Politico also reported that the government was preparing to sign a long-term military aid package of $6 billion (5.6 billion euros).

This would be a second installment of the $61 billion military aid approved by the US Congress and signed by President Joe Biden this week.

The plan could become public as early as Friday.

The aid package will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, two U.S. officials told Politico on condition of anonymity, which pays for longer-term contracts with the defense industry.

It also reported that the $6 billion includes contracts to be awarded to U.S. defense companies to build new equipment for Ukraine as part of a U.S. financing program. This means it could take months or years for the weapons to arrive in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, AP reported that the $6 billion package – the largest tranche of USAI assistance sent to date – will include a wide range of air defense munitions such as the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAM), the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. (HIMARS), as well as the Patriot munitions, Switchblade and Puma drones, counter-drone systems and artillery.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will convene a virtual meeting of defense officials from Europe and around the world on Friday – known as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group – to discuss international assistance to Ukraine.

mk/sms (AP, DPA, Reuters, AFP)