This comes as US officials warn of a potentially bloody new phase in the ongoing war, focusing on Ukraine’s eastern regions as Russia withdraws troops from the area around the capital Kyiv.
“The Ukrainian military has used the weapons we provide to a devastating effect. As Russia prepares to step up its attack in the Donbass region, the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with defense capabilities,” Biden said in a statement.
Biden spoke in detail about the new message in a lunchtime telephone conversation with Zelensky that lasted about an hour.
“Continuation of the ongoing dialogue with @POTUS. Assessment of Russian war crimes. Discussion of an additional package of defense and possible macro-financial assistance. An agreement to strengthen sanctions, “Zelenski wrote on Twitter.
The United States is providing Ukraine with 11 Mi-17 helicopters, 300 Switchblade drones, 18 howitzers and protection equipment to prevent chemical attacks in the latest batch of White House-approved security aid, the Pentagon said. In addition, the new weapons package includes 200 M113 armored personnel carriers, 10 anti-artillery radars, 500 Javelin anti-tank missiles and 30,000 sets of body armor and helmets.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the $ 800 million package was intended to “meet Ukraine’s urgent needs for today’s battle” as Russian forces shift the focus of their attack to eastern and southern Ukraine. He said weapons would be sent to Ukraine “as much as possible”, noting that previous security aid had been sent only four to five days after security packages were approved.
As of Tuesday night, two sources said the helicopters had been removed from the aid list, although Biden said in a statement that they were eventually included. Initially, Ukraine asked the White House not to send helicopters at the last minute, saying it wanted more time to assess whether they would be useful. But during a phone call Wednesday, Zelensky told Biden that his country needed them, so they were returned to the package, a source familiar with the matter said.
The Mi-17 helicopters that were added to the package were destined for Afghanistan, Kirby said.
The $ 800 million shipment brings the total military aid that the United States has provided to Ukraine to more than $ 3 billion. Ukraine’s defense budget for 2020 is only about $ 6 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. In less than two months, the United States has provided nearly half of that security aid, underscoring the pace at which the White House is working to send weapons and equipment.
Delivery of earlier packages is still complete as a new one has been announced. The United States expects the remaining 100 of the 100 Switchblade drones to enter Ukraine “the next day,” according to a senior U.S. defense official.
The official also said another shipment of US Javelin anti-tank missiles is expected to reach Ukraine in the next 24 hours. The United States also helped coordinate two air deliveries from two other countries in Ukraine, the official said during an off-camera briefing on Wednesday.
Switchblade drones are small, portable drones that carry warheads and detonate on impact. The smallest model can hit a target within six miles, according to the drone company.
“The continued supply of weapons to Ukraine by the United States and its allies and partners has been crucial in sustaining its fight against the Russian invasion. This helped ensure that Putin failed in his original military goals of conquering and controlling Ukraine. We can’t Rest now. “As I assured President Zelensky, the American people will continue to stand by the brave Ukrainian people in their struggle for freedom,” Biden said in a statement.
The Pentagon is still working on how US forces will train Ukrainians on some of the new systems they send in the security aid package.
“We’re still working on what these options will look like, what this training will look like, how many US troops will be involved, where it will be, how long,” Kirby told a news briefing.
He said the United States would be able to train Ukrainians on the new systems “very, very quickly” and would probably do so by training a small number of Ukrainian soldiers who could then train others, including Switchblade drones, some of which were sent in an earlier help package.
The new tranche of money for Ukraine is coming as the Pentagon prepares to convene a meeting of its leading arms manufacturers on Wednesday to discuss the industry’s capacity to support Ukraine in a protracted war with Russia, according to a defense official and industry spokesman.
The classified discussion will include proposals to speed up the production of existing systems and develop new systems that are crucial to helping Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and allies, the defense official said.
The meeting will bring together the eight best defenders such as General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin and others. This is “part of our ongoing, frequent dialogue with industry partners to provide a sustainable industrial base that meets the needs of the department,” the official said.
The meeting will bring together the eight best defenders, including General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin, among others. This is “part of our ongoing, frequent dialogue with industry partners to ensure a sustainable industrial base that meets the needs of the department,” the official said.
The point, the official said, is that the United States “assumes it will be a one-year undertaking” in a scenario in which Ukraine will at least not be able to produce weapons safely in its own country.
But during the meeting, the official said contractors are likely to raise the serious challenges still facing US defense production, including current and serious supply chain problems and a lack of available labor. All this continues to limit the production capacity of defense and may worsen as increased defense spending in the budget and contracts with Ukraine is fighting for production capacity, the official said.
The issue of capacity also affects the production of critical supplies of ammunition, although most of them take place in state-run facilities operated by contractors.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Natasha Bertrand, Jeremy Herb, Michael Conte, Caitlan Collins, Jim Schuto and Oren Lieberman contributed to this report.
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