US announces Ukraine weapons package worth $725 million
3/12/2024 5:54
The United States will provide Ukraine
with a $725 million weapons package, Secretary of State Antony
Blinken said on Monday, as President Joe Biden's outgoing
administration seeks to bolster the government in Kyiv in its
war with Russian invaders before leaving office in January.
The assistance will include Stinger missiles, ammunition for
High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), drones and land
mines, among other items, Blinken said in a statement.
Reuters had reported last week that the Biden administration
planned to provide the equipment, much of it anti-tank weapons
to ward off Russia's attacking troops.
"The United States and more than 50 nations stand united to
ensure Ukraine has the capabilities it needs to defend itself
against Russian aggression," Blinken's statement said.
The announcement marks a steep uptick in size from Biden's
recent use of so-called Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA),
which allows the U.S. to draw from current weapons stocks to
help allies in an emergency.
Recent PDA announcements have typically ranged from $125
million to $250 million. Biden has an estimated $4 billion to $5
billion in PDA already authorized by Congress that he is
expected to use for Ukraine before Republican President-elect
Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
The tranche of weapons represents the first time in decades
that the United States has exported land mines, the use of which
is controversial because of the potential harm to civilians.
Although more than 160 countries have signed a treaty
banning their use, Kyiv has been asking for them since Russia
launched its full-scale invasion in early 2022, and Russian
forces have used them on the front lines.
The land mines that would be sent to Ukraine are
"non-persistent," with a power system that lasts for just a
short time, leaving the devices non-lethal. This means that -
unlike older landmines - they would not remain in the ground,
threatening civilians indefinitely.
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