“The Pentagon is preparing a new defense aid package for Ukraine worth at least $275 million, which will include HIMARS artillery missile systems and Javelin anti-tank munitions. Source: The Associated Press citing US officials Details: The publication notes that the administration of current US President Joe Biden is rushing to do everything possible to help Kiev fight back against Russia before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
The Pentagon is preparing a new defense aid package for Ukraine worth at least $275 million, which will include HIMARS artillery missile systems and Javelin anti-tank munitions.
Source: The Associated Press citing US officials
Details: The publication notes that the administration of the current US President Joe Biden is in a hurry to do everything possible to help Kiev fight back against Russia before the newly elected President Donald Trump takes office.
Literally AR: “The latest arms tranche comes amid growing concern about an escalating conflict, with both sides scrambling to gain any advantage they can use if Trump demands a swift end to the war – as he has promised to do.”
Details: According to US officials, the weapons in the new aid package to Ukraine include air defense equipment, including HIMARS artillery missile systems, as well as 155 mm and 105 mm artillery shells, Javelin anti-tank ammunition and other equipment and spare parts.
The weapons will be provided as part of the Presidential Arms Reduction Authority (PDA), which allows the Pentagon to quickly withdraw supplies from its warehouses to expedite their delivery to the front lines in Ukraine.
The publication adds that the Biden administration will have to urgently allocate 7.1 billion dollars for weapons from the Pentagon warehouses in order to have time to spend these funds before Trump is sworn in.
Asked if the agency would have time to do so by Jan. 20, when Trump takes office, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said officials are working to provide Ukraine with what it needs.
In addition, the US State Department said on Tuesday that it had authorized the sale of $100 million worth of undisclosed defense equipment and services to Ukraine, including vehicle repairs, technical assistance, training and “other related elements of logistics and programmatic support.” Unlike PDA assistance, the Ukrainian government will pay for it.
As part of a broader effort to support Ukraine, the administration also plans to distribute its share of a $50 billion loan from frozen Russian assets before Biden leaves the White House, two senior administration officials said.
The officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly, said the U.S. and Ukraine are now in an “advanced stage” of discussing the terms of the loan and are seeking to finalize the $20 billion portion of the U.S.-backed loan.