At the 12th meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group on Thursday, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin noted that the recently announced $375 million military aid package for Ukraine would include HIMARS munitions, systems anti-tank and laser-guided missiles.
According to Austin, this is part of a larger $1.8 billion military aid package that the United States has pledged to provide to Ukraine.
In the latest package under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the United States has funded additional air defense systems and munitions, Austin said, adding that the package also includes equipment that will allow Ukraine’s air defense systems to be integrated with launchers, missiles and air defense. radars of the members of the contact group. Other 155mm artillery shells will also be provided as well as training, maintenance and support.
Austin said some members of the Contact Group had recently made important statements.
Germany has pledged to supply Ukraine with more Leopard tanks, ammunition, combat drones and other equipment as part of a nearly $3 billion package.
Denmark also announced a new package including air defense support and combat support, in particular demining vehicles, mobile bridges and recovery vehicles.
France also supplied Kyiv with new light tanks and armored vehicles.
Ukraine now has a Patriot air defense system; these systems are supplied by the United States, Germany and the Netherlands.
“All of these deliveries meet Ukraine’s priority needs and reflect the Contact Group’s continued resolve,” the Pentagon chief said. “With joint efforts, members of the Contact Group provided the Ukrainian military with the necessary training.”
Austin said that at the beginning of the month, 31 M1 Abrams tanks, on which the Ukrainian army will be trained, arrived from the United States in Grafenwöhr (Germany).
Recall that last week, President Joe Biden announced that the United States would support a joint effort with allies and partners to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets.
“We hope that this preparation will begin in the coming weeks,” said Austin. “And it once again shows our shared determination to ensure that a sovereign and secure Ukraine can deter future aggression and defend against future attacks.”
In total, the Contact Group has allocated nearly $65 billion in security aid to Ukraine, according to the defense minister.
“Putin was hoping our resolve would weaken, he was betting our unity would crack,” Austin said. “Instead, we will be more united than ever.”
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