US announces new $200M Ukraine aid package

The U.S. on Monday announced a $200 million security assistance package for Ukraine, providing Kyiv with another round of munitions and tactical vehicles for use in the fight against Russia.

The latest package places total U.S. security assistance to Ukraine at roughly $43 billion since Russia invaded in February 2022, meaning the remaining funds for Ukrainian forces is fast approaching their limit.

The Biden administration unveiled the critical assistance for Ukraine in the midst of a major counteroffensive operation.

The package includes more munitions for advanced weapons systems coveted by Ukraine, including High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and Patriot missile defense systems.

“Air defense, anti-armor, and munitions will keep the Ukrainian armed forces in the fight to defend their country’s sovereignty, territory, and people,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote Monday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

More than 12 million rounds of small arms ammunition and grenades will also be provided, along with mine-clearing equipment and 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds.

The security assistance also includes 37 tactical vehicles for towing and hauling equipment.

The package comes as Ukrainian troops pushing ahead in a slow-moving counteroffensive in the southeast are coming up against fierce resistance from dug-in Russian forces.

Ukraine is often outgunned by Russia with an inferior amount of artillery and is struggling against trenches and mine fields. Kyiv will undoubtedly need more Western support to keep the operation going and reclaim territory in Russian-occupied Ukraine.

Congress has passed about $47 billion in direct security assistance for Ukraine since the start of the war, with the latest aid package approved in December.

The White House last week asked Congress for an additional $40 billion in security assistance, including about $13 billion specifically for defense needs.

It’s unclear whether a new package can be approved swiftly or at all, with some House Republicans cautioning against additional funding.

Updated: 3:05 p.m.