An additional combined worth of $1 billion of U.S. aid to Ukraine was announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Kyiv while he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba to “underscore unwavering U.S. support for Ukraine’s defense of its sovereign territory and the people of Ukraine against Russia’s ongoing aggression.” reported the State Department. This comes after additional DOD packages were announced yesterday and today, totaling over $1.7 billion in evaluation. These packages contain a range of aid for military, law enforcement, government, and civilian applications.
The State Department writes that “Secretary Blinken also discussed additional U.S. assistance and encouraged continued progress on Ukraine’s reform agenda, including combatting corruption and safeguarding the autonomy and integrity of Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities and courts.
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has provided $43.2 billion in security assistance, $2.9 billion in humanitarian assistance, and $20.5 billion in budget support through World Bank mechanisms.
This brings the total of U.S. pledged military, financial, and humanitarian aid to over $70 billion since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian war. $43 billion being in military aid, $24 billion in budgetary aid, and $3.6 billion in humanitarian aid.
In Kyiv, Secretary Blinken announced that the United States would provide:
- An additional drawdown of up to $175 million from DoD stocks that will be provided under drawdowns previously directed for Ukraine. Capabilities in this security assistance includes air defense system components, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems for HIMARS, munitions, ammunition, and communications systems;
- $100 million in Foreign Military Financing to support longer-term military requirements;
- $90.5 million in humanitarian demining assistance;
- $300 million to support law enforcement efforts to restore and maintain law and order in liberated areas, including cities and towns facing continuous shelling by Russia;
- $206 million in humanitarian assistance to provide critical support including food, water, and shelter to those in Ukraine and those forced to flee to neighboring countries.
- $5.4 million in forfeited oligarch assets to support veteran reintegration and rehabilitation;
- And, $203 million for support to transparency and accountability of institutions, bolstering key reform efforts related to anti-corruption, rule of law and the justice sector; and to build capacity to investigate and prosecute war crimes committed by Russia. This assistance will also support digitalization of recovery and reconstruction efforts by improving and ensuring the transparent procurement of infrastructure projects; health-governance to support the restoration of lifesaving services to enable economic recovery in Ukraine, strengthening public financial management practices to meet international standards.
This comes after today separately the DOD announced $600 million in aid in the form of:
- Equipment to sustain and integrate Ukraine’s air defense systems;
- Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
- 105mm artillery rounds;
- Electronic warfare and counter-electronic warfare equipment;
- Demolition munitions for obstacle clearing;
- Mine clearing equipment; and
- Support and equipment for training, maintenance, and sustainment activities.
And yesterday $175 million evaluated worth of security assistance was also provided through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which “procures capabilities through industry and partners”, this package included:
- Equipment to support Ukraine’s air defense systems;
- Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
- 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;
- 81mm mortars systems and rounds;
- 120mm depleted uranium tank ammunition for Abrams tanks;
- Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
- Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;
- Over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition;
- Tactical air navigation systems;
- Tactical secure communications systems and support equipment;
- Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing; and
- Spare parts, maintenance, and other field equipment
