US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the aid package comes from unexpected cost savings from Pentagon contracts, used for System artillery shells and ammunition. High mobility artillery rocket (HIMARS).
“This ammunition will help Ukraine fire for a while, but only for a short time,” Mr. Sullivan said, adding that it may only help Ukraine for a few weeks.
"This quantity of weapons is not enough to meet Ukraine's needs and will not prevent Ukraine from running out of ammunition," Mr. Sullivan said.
Ukrainian soldiers participate in training in Donetsk region, Ukraine. Photo: Reuters
Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder said the aid package includes anti-aircraft missiles and artillery shells. He said supplying weapons to Ukraine through the Pentagon's savings contract was likely a one-time situation and not a sustainable way to finance Kiev.
US officials have also considered options to confiscate about $285 billion in frozen Russian assets from 2022 and use this money to pay for Ukrainian weapons.
The announcement came as the President and Prime Minister of Poland met with President Joe Biden at the White House late Tuesday to discuss ways to increase support for Ukraine.
The White House is trying to find ways to send more military aid to Ukraine due to the situation on the battlefield and opposition to funding from hard-liners in the Republican Party.
Mr. Biden, a Democrat, has supported military aid to Ukraine since the 2022 conflict. Meanwhile, former Republican President Donald Trump has a different stance.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to call for a vote on the bill to provide an additional $60 billion to Ukraine.
On the same day, the Danish Ministry of Defense said it would provide a new military aid package including the Caesar artillery system and ammunition to Ukraine worth about 336,6 million USD. European Union countries are also preparing to approve a new supplement worth 5 billion euros to finance military shipments to Ukraine.
Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters)
