Details of the latest package are still being discussed in private and may change, but earlier on Tuesday, President Joe Biden said the United States planned to send more artillery to Ukraine.
Arriving in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Biden was asked by reporters on the track if he planned to send more artillery to Ukraine.
Biden told reporters yes before boarding his motorcade.
A senior administration official said the latest package could be approved within the next 36 hours, although another administration official said the time was not locked and could come in the coming days.
The size of the package could also change at the last minute, the second official said.
The latest package comes a week after the Biden administration approved another $ 800 million security package, which included artillery and anti-artillery radars for the first time since the Russian invasion.
The Biden administration is working to get military aid to Ukraine as soon as possible because they believe the war is at a critical juncture and continued US aid could change significance as Russia’s more aggressive attack on eastern Ukraine intensifies, he said. one of the administration officials said.
The more open terrain in this region favors the use of artillery and long-range systems, which is why the administration has made it paramount for the rapid introduction of these types of systems, as fighting is moving away from Kyiv and the Donbass region.
The region also borders Russia, allowing Russian forces to maintain the shorter supply lines needed to sustain an attack. Ukraine and Russia, through their own forces and proxies, have been fighting in the Donbass region for the past eight years, making it a familiar territory for both forces.
This week, Finance Minister Janet Yellen will meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Schmihal in Washington to discuss aid to Ukraine and bringing Russia to justice. A Ukrainian delegation will be in the capital this week as part of the spring meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in 2022.
If approved, the latest $ 800 million package will mean that the United States has committed approximately $ 3.4 billion in aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24.
This will be the last withdrawal of the president until Congress approves more money for weapons for Ukraine. In a presidential downturn, the Department of Defense withdraws weapons and equipment from US stockpiles to send to Ukraine instead of buying new weapons from manufacturers.
Add Comment