The U.S. on Monday approved a new $350 million weapons aid package for Ukraine, with the last deal covering more munitions for HIMARS launchers and additional 155mm artillery rounds.
The new security assistance announcement arrives as the European Union has also approved a new proposal to jointly procure 1 million artillery shells for Ukraine.
“Glad that E.U. foreign and defense ministers approved the initiative today,” Kaja Kallas, prime minister of Estonia, confirmed in a social media post. “This helps to ramp up European defense industry and boost our security.”
The U.S.’ latest weapons package for Ukraine, the 34th drawdown of equipment from Pentagon inventories, also includes 25mm ammunition, High-speed Anti-radiation missiles, 81mm and 60mm mortar systems and mortar rounds, AT4 anti-tank weapons and grenade launchers.
Ukraine will also receive heavy fuel tankers, riverine patrol boats, small arms and associated ammunition, thermal imagery systems and demolition munitions.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hosted the 10th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contract Group virtually from the Pentagon on March 15, with defense officials from around 50 countries discussing the latest efforts to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s ongoing invasion (Defense Daily, March 17).
“Russia is running out of capability and running out of friends. Putin has now had a year’s worth of proof that the United States and the [Ukraine Defense] Contact Group will support Ukraine’s right to defend itself for the long haul,” Austin said in a press briefing following the meeting. “We will continue to dig deep for new donations and today we heard updates on our progress and some significant new commitments.”
Austin noted Sweden announced plans to provide 10 Leopard tanks and “key air defense components” to Ukraine, while Norway is working with the U.S. to provide Kyiv with two more NASAMS air defense systems.