(Washington) The United States will provide Ukraine with additional Patriot missiles for its air defense systems as part of a massive $6 billion additional aid package, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Friday .
The missiles will be used to replenish previously supplied Patriot systems. The aid also includes more munitions for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, or NASAMS, as well as additional equipment to integrate Western launchers, missiles and air defense radars into Ukraine’s existing weaponry , much of which dates back to the Soviet era.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the need for Patriot systems Friday morning with Ukraine’s Defense Contact Group, a coalition of about 50 countries meeting virtually at a meeting led by the Pentagon.
The meeting took place on the second anniversary of the group, which Austin said has “moved heaven and earth” since April 2022 to procure millions of rounds of ammunition, rocket systems, armored vehicles and even of planes to help Ukraine repel the Russian invasion.
According to Mr. Zelensky at least seven Patriot systems were needed to protect Ukrainian cities. “We urgently need Patriot systems and missiles,” he said. This is what can and should save lives right now. »
At a Pentagon news conference after the meeting, Austin said the United States was working with allies to provide additional Patriot systems, but was not committing to sending more American versions.
“They don’t just need Patriots, they also need other types of systems and interceptors. I caution us all against making Patriot the silver bullet,” he said.
Mr. Austin said he was asking allied countries to “accept a little more risk” when considering what weapons to send to Ukraine. A number of countries have expressed some reluctance to send Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, as most do not have many of them and believe they need them for their own defense.
U.S. officials said the aid would be financed through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which funds longer-term contracts with the defense industry and means it could take several months for the weapons to arrive. , or even several years. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.
The new funding – the largest tranche of USAI aid sent to date – also includes the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, as well as the Switchblade and Puma drones, counter-drone systems and artillery.
The Ukraine Defense Contact Group has been meeting about once a month for two years and is the main forum for arms contributions to Kyiv for the war.
Friday’s meeting follows the White House’s decision earlier this week to approve the delivery of $1 billion in weapons and equipment to Ukraine. These weapons include various munitions, such as air defense munitions and large quantities of artillery munitions in high demand by Ukrainian forces, as well as armored vehicles and other weapons.
However, this aid will reach Ukraine quickly as it is being removed from Pentagon shelves, including warehouses in Europe.
The back-to-back large aid approvals are the result of a new infusion of about $61 billion in funding for Ukraine that was passed by Congress and signed into law by U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
And they provide the weapons Kyiv desperately needs to halt the progress Russian forces are making in the war.
Senior U.S. officials have described dire battlefield conditions in Ukraine as troops run out of ammunition and Russian forces advance.
Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, the United States has sent more than $44 billion worth of weapons, maintenance, training and spare parts to Ukraine.
reference: www.lapresse.ca