US President Joe Biden plans to announce $325 million in new military aid for Ukraine on 21 September during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington, a US official told Reuters.
The aid package will include a second batch of cluster munitions for 155mm Howitzer cannons, the unnamed official said.
According to the Reuters source, other new weapons for Ukraine are expected to be revealed around Biden and Zelenskyy’s meeting, but not the ATACMS long-range missiles that have been under discussion.
Ukraine expects the US government’s decision to supply Ukraine with ATACMS missiles, enabling Ukrainian forces to hit Russian positions at a distance of up to 300 kilometers. However, the US has still not agreed on the supply.
The Financial Times and ABC News previously reported that the White House is highly likely to include ATACMS in the new military aid package for Ukraine.
Additionally, the official said that the US intends to provide more Avenger short-range air defense systems armed with Stinger missiles made by Raytheon Technologies.
The package reportedly contains TOW and AT4 anti-tank weapons, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets for HIMARS, Javelin anti-tank missiles produced jointly by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, and other equipment, the official told Reuters. It could still change before the announcement.
The aid will be funded through the Presidential Drawdown Authority, allowing Biden to transfer excess US stocks without congressional approval in an emergency.
Zelenskyy is set to visit Congress on 21 September morning before his White House meeting with Biden later that day. Since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022, the US has committed over $40 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.
Read also:
- Reuters: US likely to approve transfer of long-range missiles with cluster munitions to Ukraine
- NYT: US to provide Ukraine with more cluster munitions
- US denies Ukraine’s request for ATACMS missiles due to concerns over future conflict with China
- Zelenskyy pushes for UN reforms and veto override mechanism
