The US rolled out its 50th weapons package for Ukraine. The arms shipment will include air defenses, artillery rounds, and anti-armor weapons. The Pentagon will purchase $300 million in arms on behalf of Kiev, depleting all the funds in the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
On Friday, The Department of Defense announced a new $425 million in military aid package for Ukraine. $125 million in weapons will be sent directly from American stockpiles through the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA). The funds used to transfer the arms came from a Pentagon accounting error that gave the White House access to an additional $6 billion in PDA funds.
The weapons to be shipped to Ukraine include:
- Additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS)
- Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS)
- 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds
- Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles
- Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems
- More than 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades
- Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing
- M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel munitions
- 12 trucks to transport heavy equipment
- Cold weather gear
- Spare parts, maintenance, and other field equipment
The Pentagon will additionally purchase $300 million in "laser-guided munitions to counter Unmanned Aerial Systems" for Ukraine. The weapons will be bought with USAI funds. The Department of Defense reports that its USAI funding has now been depleted. Arms purchased through this program will take months or years to reach Ukraine.
For months, the White House has pressed Congress to pass a multi-billion aid package for Ukraine. In October, the Biden administration rolled out a $105 billion bill that includes $61 billion in assistance for Kiev. The White House hopes the aid will maintain the Ukrainian military and the Zelensky administration through 2024 election.
However, the situation in Ukraine is becoming increasingly bleak. The top Ukrainian defense official told the Economist outlets that the war has reached a stalemate. Additionally, an aide to Zelensky said corruption was rampant, and Ukrainian officials were stealing "like there is no tomorrow."
