The US has announced new supplies for Ukraine for the first time in months. The Pentagon wants to provide $300 million in artillery ammunition. But further military aid remains blocked.
After a months-long pause, the government of US President Joe Biden has announced an aid package with military equipment for Ukraine. Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said at the White House in Washington that the planned package was worth 300 million US dollars (275 million euros). The delivery will consist of ammunition for artillery and the HIMARS systems.
It comes from funds that the US Department of Defense saved through negotiations on previous arms purchases. This means a “modest amount” is available. But Sullivan emphasized that the new ammunition could only help Kiev for a short time. “It is far from sufficient to meet Ukraine’s battlefield needs and will not prevent Ukraine from running out of ammunition in the coming weeks,” he said, urging: “Congress must act.”
Pentagon promised weapons in December
The USA is considered Ukraine’s most important ally in the fight against the Russian invasion. Since the war began in February 2022, President Joe Biden’s administration has provided more than $44 billion (around 40 billion euros) in military aid to Kiev.
The US Department of Defense recently announced a military aid package for Ukraine at the end of December. At that time, the Ministry of Defense admitted that the resources for increasing arms aid for the country attacked by Russia had been exhausted.
Republicans block military aid in Congress
Since then, Kiev has been waiting for new financial commitments and additional weapons and ammunition from the USA. The $60 billion earmarked for Ukraine by President Biden in the US budget has been blocked by the opposition Republicans in the US Congress since October 2023. This is happening under pressure from former US President Donald Trump, who will most likely run for the Republicans again in the presidential election in November.
Republicans in Congress are demanding tougher measures to secure the US border with Mexico in return for their approval of the $60 billion Ukraine package.