The Biden administration is preparing to provide additional military aid to Ukraine, bringing the total amount to over $55.7 billion since Russia’s invasion in February 2022. The latest package of aid includes a range of equipment and systems, including air defense missiles, munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Javelins, anti-armour missiles, counter-drone and counter-electronic warfare systems, equipment, and vehicles. This aid will be delivered through presidential drawdown authority, allowing the Pentagon to quickly draw from its stockpiles.
As Ukrainian forces continue to make gains in their surprise offensive into Russia, taking around 100 square kilometers of territory around Kursk, US officials are working closely with Ukrainian leaders to understand their longer-term goals for the operation. According to US officials, Ukraine wants to create a buffer zone along the border, but questions remain about how this fits into their broader war effort. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made his first visit to the border area on Thursday, where his forces launched the offensive, and announced the capture of another Russian village and more prisoners of war.
US President Joe Biden (Via Joe Biden/Twitter)
The Biden administration is seeking to gain a better understanding of Ukraine’s incursion into Russia and how it advances the broader battlefield goals more than two years into the war. US officials are working to determine if Ukraine’s operation is in line with its long-term objectives and how it fits into its strategic plan. They are also attempting to assess whether Ukraine’s gains in Kursk are sufficient to counter Russia’s advances near the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub. According to reports, Russia has been making gains in the region, and Ukraine’s operation is seen as a way to counterbalance these advances.
The administration plans to provide the new aid as early as Friday, the eve of Ukraine’s Independence Day, which will bring the total amount of US security assistance to Ukraine to over $55.7 billion since Russia’s invasion. This latest package of aid underscores the Biden administration’s continued support for Ukraine’s military efforts, as the country works to defend itself against Russian aggression.
