US President Joe Biden enters the Rose Garden during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC, USA, March 29, 2022. REUTERS / Kevin Lamarque
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WASHINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden is expected to sign a new arms package worth at least $ 100 million for Ukraine no later than Friday, four U.S. officials told Reuters, the latest in a series of transfers to help Kyiv repel the Russian invasion.
The United States has sent $ 3.4 billion in weapons to Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24, including howitzers, Stinger anti-aircraft systems, Javelin anti-tank missiles, ammunition and the recently discovered Ghost drones.
Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the latest package is likely to include more ammunition for systems such as howitzers. The Pentagon says it has already fired about 184,000 artillery shots.
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The announcement could come within the next 24 hours at the earliest, two officials said.
The new tranche of arms transfers will come from the remaining $ 250 million in the presidential withdrawal body, allowing the president to allow the transfer of surplus weapons from U.S. stockpiles without congressional approval in response to an emergency.
Last month, Biden offered a $ 33 billion aid package for Ukraine, including more than $ 20 billion in military aid.
The United States is training some Ukrainian forces on how to use systems such as howitzers outside Ukraine.
Leaders of a group of seven (G7), including Biden, will hold a video conversation Sunday with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in a demonstration of unity the day before Russia celebrates its Victory Day, the White House said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin describes the war in Ukraine as a battle to protect Russian-speakers there from Nazi persecution and to protect what he calls the US threat to Russia posed by NATO enlargement.
Ukraine and the West reject fascism’s claim as unfounded and say Putin is waging an unprovoked aggressive war.
Ukraine and its allies say that since they failed to capture the capital Kyiv, Russian forces have made slow progress in capturing the east and south of the country, but the bombings are increasingly affecting civilians.
Russia denies the allegations, saying it targets only military or strategic targets, not civilians.
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Report by Idris Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Mike Stone; Additional reports by Steve Holland and Humeira Pamuk; Edited by Diane Kraft and Daniel Wallis
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