WASHINGTON: The Biden administration is expected to announce on Wednesday the release of about $3 billion in additional aid to Ukrainian forces. US officials said the money could be released to train Ukrainian soldiers for combat in the coming years. Officials said the package would be spent on contracts for three types of drones and other weapons and equipment that are expected to be used probably after two years.
The total amount of the package being given under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative may vary slightly. Officials said it would fund the purchase of small, handheld Puma drones, long-range Scan Eagle surveillance drones, and a ship-dropping British Vampire drone system. Several officials gave this information on the condition of anonymity before the release of information publicly about this economic aid to be given by the US to Ukraine.
US officials said Russia’s attacks on Ukraine continued, and US security aid was turning into a long-term operation that would also see more US troops stationed in Europe in the future. Wednesday is a holiday in Ukraine to mark its Independence Day, and Wednesday marks six months since the Russian attack on it began. Officials say that, unlike most previous packages, the new funding is largely aimed at helping Ukraine secure its medium- to the long-term defense system.
