The United States is set to announce a new military aid package for Ukraine, according to senior Pentagon officials. This development comes a week after Ukraine utilized advanced American weaponry to target Russian military installations in areas controlled by Russia in eastern Ukraine. The forthcoming aid package is expected to include additional GMLRS missiles for HIMARS systems, ammunition for ATACMS, TOW anti-tank missiles, AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, and 155mm shells.
The issue of 155mm shells has gained particular attention recently, as both Ukraine and Israel are in need of these munitions, according to NYTimes. Washington has assured that it can meet the military requirements of both nations. Earlier this year, the United States had withdrawn some 155mm rounds from its stockpile in Israel to replenish American reserves in Europe. However, following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, most of those rounds were redirected back to Israel, as stated by a senior defence official.
Last week, Ukraine announced that it had used US-supplied ATACMS missiles for the first time, according to ABC News, inflicting significant damage on two airfields in Berdyansk and Lugansk, located in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory. The United States has not yet confirmed the delivery of these missiles. The ATACMS missiles delivered to Ukraine have a maximum range of about 170 km (106 mi), nearly double the range of the HIMARS missiles previously supplied.
This new aid package will mark the 49th such package provided to the Ukrainian military from American weapons stockpiles. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the United States has furnished approximately $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. Additionally, the Pentagon still has around $5 billion in military aid to Ukraine that has been previously approved by the US Congress.
The announcement of this new aid package underscores the United States’ ongoing commitment to Ukraine’s security and comes amidst a complex geopolitical landscape involving multiple nations and conflicts.
