The U.S. has announced a new $400 million package of military aid for Ukraine to assist them in holding off advances by Russian troops in the northeast Kharkiv region. This is the third tranche of aid for Ukraine since Congress passed supplemental funding in late April. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned of a difficult situation, but assured that new supply of U.S. weapons was on the way, including High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and rockets, munitions for Patriot and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, artillery, anti-aircraft and anti-tank munitions, and armored vehicles.
The aid package also includes coastal and riverine patrol boats, trailers, demolition munitions, high-speed anti-radiation missiles, protective gear, spare parts, and other weapons and equipment. The weapons are being sent through presidential drawdown authority, allowing them to move quickly to the war front. In addition to this aid, the State Department approved a proposed emergency sale of HIMARS to Ukraine for an estimated $30 million, with the funding coming from the government of Germany.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby stated that the latest military aid package is intended to assist Ukraine in fending off the Russian efforts to capture Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. Kirby mentioned that Russia has already initiated incursions into areas around the towns of Vovchansk and Lyptsi near Kharkiv, but does not anticipate any major breakthroughs. The influx of U.S. assistance is expected to help Ukraine withstand these attacks over the course of 2024. The U.S. has provided approximately $50.6 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Russia has been seeking to exploit Ukraine’s shortages of ammunition and manpower, as the flow of Western supplies diminished while Congress struggled to pass the foreign aid bill. Moscow has assembled large troop concentrations in the east and north and has been gaining an edge on the battlefield, according to Zelenskyy. The latest package of military aid does not specify if it includes more long-range ballistic missiles, but the U.S. has previously sent some of these missiles to Ukraine, offering them increased striking distance up to 300 kilometers compared to the mid-range version they initially received.
It is anticipated that Russia may make further advances in the coming weeks, but the U.S. believes that Ukraine will be able to withstand these attacks with the assistance provided. The U.S. government’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in defending against Russian aggression is evident through the multiple tranches of military aid and emergency sales of weapons. The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia remains a point of concern for the international community, with the U.S. playing a significant role in bolstering Ukraine’s defense capabilities. The bipartisan support in Congress for providing aid to Ukraine demonstrates a united front against Russian aggression in the region.
