The United States allocated $6 billion as part of the initiative to purchase weapons for Ukraine.
US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin announced this at a briefing on April 26 following the results of the meeting in the Rammstein format.
"I want to announce our commitment to allocate $6 billion within the framework of the initiative to promote the security of Ukraine. This will allow us to purchase additional aid for Ukraine from the American defense industry. This is the largest allocation for Ukraine," said Austin.
The minister added that the funds will be allocated for the purchase of critical interceptors for the NASAMS and Patriot systems.
He also noted that the aid would include anti-drone systems, a "significant amount" of artillery ammunition, air-to-ground missiles and logistical support.
Updated at 9:30 p.m.: The Pentagon has published a complete list of weapons that will be purchased as part of the initiative. They included:
- ammunition for Patriot and NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems;
- equipment for the integration of Western launchers, missiles and radars with Ukrainian air defense systems;
- UAV countermeasures equipment and systems;
- ammunition for laser-guided missile systems;
- multifunctional radar stations;
- anti-artillery radars;
- ammunition for HIMARS;
- 155-mm and 152-mm artillery shells;
- high-precision aviation ammunition;
- unmanned aerial systems Switchblade and Puma;
- tactical vehicles for towing weapons and equipment;
- explosive munitions;
- components to support the Ukrainian production of drones;
- small arms and additional ammunition for them.
Also within the framework of this package, the Ukrainian military will be trained to use these weapons, maintain and maintain them.
The aid announced by Austin is the order of new weapons for Ukraine from American manufacturers within the framework of the USAI initiative. According to USAI, the Pentagon contracts with U.S. defense firms to build new equipment, not to use current U.S. stockpiles. As Politico suggests, these weapons will not reach Ukraine for at least a few more years.
- On April 24, US President Joe Biden signed a bill that provides for almost $61 billion in military aid to Ukraine. On the same day, the Pentagon announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth one billion dollars.
- On April 24, Reuters, citing sources, wrote that Kyiv received long-range ATACMS missiles as part of the March aid package worth $300 million. Moreover, according to Reuters, the Ukrainian side has already used these missiles. The White House confirmed that the US transferred ATACMS to Ukraine in March. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that a "significant number" of missiles had been sent to Ukraine, and assured that the US would "send more". Later NYT noted that Ukraine received more than 100 ATACMS missiles from the US.