Washington: US President Joe Biden on Thursday announced nearly $8 billion in military assistance for Ukraine, including long-range weapons and an additional Patriot air defense battery, according to a statement released by the White House.
“Today, I am announcing a surge in security assistance for Ukraine and a series of additional actions to help Ukraine win this war,” Biden said in the statement, which the White House released ahead of his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The assistance includes $2.4 billion for the purchase of new arms for Ukraine, as well as $5.55 billion worth of weapons to be drawn from Pentagon stockpiles under the so-called Presidential Drawdown Authority.
As part of an initiative to increase Ukraine’s air defenses, the aid package instructs the Department of Defense to provide Kiev with an additional refurbished Patriot air defense battery and associated Patriot missiles, Biden said in the statement.
Additionally, the package includes Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) long-range munition, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and air-to-ground munitions intended to strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base and support its maintenance
