US approves $1.3 billion package deal of long-term navy help for Ukraine

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon introduced a brand new $1.3 billion package deal of long-term navy help to Ukraine on Wednesday, together with 4 air protection programs and an undisclosed variety of drones.

The brand new help comes on the heels of a gathering Tuesday by protection and navy leaders from across the globe to debate ongoing efforts to present Ukraine the weapons it wants in its battle to retake territory seized by Russian forces.

Included within the help, which is being offered underneath the Ukraine Safety Help Initiative, will probably be funding for 4 Nationwide Superior Floor-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS, and munitions for them, in addition to Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade drones.

In contrast to the presidential drawdown authority that the Pentagon has used repeatedly over the previous 17 months to tug weapons from its personal shares and rapidly ship them to Ukraine, the USAI-funded gear may take a yr or two to get to the battlefront. Because of this, this new package deal will do little to assist Ukraine in its present offensive, however will assist in future protection of its nation.

The help package deal included funding for artillery, mine-clearing gear, a wide range of missiles and munitions, vehicles and different automobiles, port safety gear and programs to counter drones.

Total the U.S. has offered greater than $40 billion in navy help to Ukraine since Russia invaded in Feb. 2022. Of that, about $18 billion has been in long run USAI funding, together with the newest announcement.