Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the $2.3 billion aid package ahead of a Ukrainian security council meeting. meeting He met with his Ukrainian counterpart on Tuesday.
The package includes key air defense interceptor missiles and other weapons, and a Pentagon spokesman said more details about the package would be released soon.
Defense Secretary Austin met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov at the Pentagon on Tuesday and stressed the U.S.’ determination to defend the country against Russian aggression.
“Ukraine is fighting a tough fight,” Austin said in a speech before the meeting, adding: “Make no mistake: Ukraine is not alone.”
The defense secretary also noted that the United States has signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, giving Kyiv a 10-year guarantee of defense cooperation, adding that he plans to discuss further ways to strengthen the partnership with Umerov.
The United States has announced billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine since the last congressional aid package of about $60 billion was approved in April. The bill came after months of delays, allowing Russia to gain the upper hand on the battlefield before further U.S. aid could arrive on the scene.
Ukrainian forces are battling Russian forces on a 600-mile front, including in the northeastern Kharkiv region, where Moscow opened a new front in May.
