The Biden administration’s next security aid package for Ukraine is expected to include munitions and vehicles, but not significant new capabilities or air defenses, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday of the $725 million package.

Humvee armored vehicles in KyivPhoto: Mykhailo Palinchak/SOPA Images / Editorial Shutterstock / Profimedia

This is the first aid package after Russia’s massive missile attacks on the most important cities of Ukraine.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the timing of the announcement of the weapons package, as well as its contents and cost, could change up to the last minute.

One of the officials said that while the aid package was not supposed to include materials to deal with missile attacks like those seen last week, it was designed to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defeat Russia in a counteroffensive that has recently made large territorial gains. weeks

In addition, Ukraine expects the US and Germany to deliver sophisticated air defense systems this month to help it counter attacks by Russian missiles and kamikaze drones, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Friday.

Ammunition and vehicles will be sent via Presidential Decree (PDA), which will allow them to be sent to Ukraine in the coming days.

Presidential reduction authority allows the United States to quickly transfer defense assets and services from the stockpile without congressional approval in response to an emergency.

This is the US government’s second CCP package for fiscal year 2023, which is currently operating under temporary funding and allows President Joe Biden to access $3.7 billion to transfer to Ukraine through mid-December.

In general, to fund weapons for Ukraine, including the NASAMS anti-aircraft systems expected this month, Washington is using funds from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) to purchase weapons from industry, rather than withdrawing them from existing US stockpiles.

This latest package will increase the total cost of US security assistance to more than $17.5 billion since Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine.

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