U.S. announces nearly US$1 billion more in longer-term weapons support for Ukraine

The United States will provide nearly US$1 billion more in longer-term weapons support to Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday.

The latest package will include more drones and munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, that the U.S. has provided. While these weapons are critically needed now, they will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays for longer-term systems to be put on contract.

The weapon systems purchased are often intended to support Ukraine's future military capabilities, not make an immediate difference on the battlefield.

The US$988 million package is on top of an additional US$725 million in U.S. military assistance, including counter-drone systems and HIMARS munitions, announced Monday that would be drawn from the Pentagon’s stockpiles to more quickly get to the front lines. The U.S. has provided Ukraine with more than US$62 billion in military aid since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

“The baton will soon be passed,” Austin said. “Others will decide the course ahead. And I hope that they will build on the strength that we have forged over the past four years.”