WASHINGTON - The United States is authorising another US $350 million in military aid for Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, as Kyiv builds up its arsenal for an anticipated counter-offensive against Russian forces.
Blinken said in a statement that the military assistance package includes more ammunition for US-provided HIMARS and howitzers that Ukraine is using to defend itself, as well as ammunition for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles, HARM missiles, anti-tank weapons, riverboats, and other equipment.
The United States provided more than $30 billion in weapons to Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, which invaded its pro-Western neighbour on February 24, 2022.
The new US assistance was announced yesterday after the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley spoke of their unwavering support for Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyyy had also joined the end of the call on Friday, the White House said.
Kyiv wants to gather sufficient supplies of arms from its Western backers, of which the US has been the most significant, to mount a counter-offensive and try to take back territory captured by the Russians last year.