2024-04-26 09:06:46
Additional weapons and defense systems worth six billion US dollars are to go to Ukraine. Spain supplies Kiev with missiles for the Patriot system.
The US government is apparently planning a new billion-dollar military aid package for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. According to information from US government circles, the USA wants to buy additional weapons and defense systems worth six billion US dollars for Ukraine. According to an insider, this will include an anti-artillery radar, tactical vehicles, Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems, drones, artillery, precision ammunition and drone defense systems.
The “Politico” portal also reported on Thursday (local time) that the USA had put together a package worth six billion US dollars (5.6 billion euros) after the release of new funds by the US Congress. Accordingly, the plans could become public this Friday at a virtual meeting of the US-led contact group to support Ukraine. According to “Politico”, this is not intended to be emergency aid.
Only in a few years in Ukraine
Just on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced an immediate new military aid package worth one billion US dollars. This primarily concerns anti-aircraft equipment, artillery, missile systems and armored vehicles from the US military’s inventory. According to Politico, the possible six billion dollar package will differ from the already announced package in this key point.
Citing two US government officials, the portal wrote that as part of a US financing program, contracts are to be awarded to US defense companies to build new equipment for Ukraine. This would mean that the ordered equipment will probably not arrive in Ukraine for several years. The Pentagon did not confirm the report when asked by the portal.
The USA is considered Ukraine’s most important supporter. Since the beginning of US President Biden’s term in office in January 2021, his government has provided military aid worth around $45 billion to Kiev. There are also billions more in non-military financial aid. After months of domestic political impasse, the US Congress, with the approval of the Senate, approved new aid worth around $61 billion for Kiev late on Tuesday evening – thereby clearing the way for new arms deliveries.
Kyiv needs seven new Patriot systems
According to a newspaper, Spain will supply Ukraine with some missiles for the Patriot air defense system. The government has ruled out the delivery of a complete Patriot system, but wants to provide some projectiles, the newspaper “El País” reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources. The Ministry of Defense in Madrid initially did not comment on this. According to El País, Spain has three Patriot batteries that it bought used from Germany in 2004 and 2014. In view of Russian missile and drone attacks, Ukraine has long been asking its Western allies for more air defense weapons. Germany has announced that it will deliver a third Patriot system and called on other countries to examine the possibility of delivery.
Ukraine needs seven new Patriot air defense systems to deter Russian attacks, according to its ambassador to Germany, Olexiy Makeyev. He praised the fact that Germany had provided one of them. The government in Kiev hopes that other states will make commitments at today’s video conference in the so-called Rammstein format of the Ukraine supporting countries, says Makejew.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made allegations against NATO and the USA on Friday. The Western alliance has increased the threat to Russia because it has moved closer to the country’s borders, Shoigu explained, according to the TASS news agency. However, Russia has no military or geopolitical interest in attacking NATO states. Shoigu said the US was deliberately prolonging the conflict in Ukraine by putting unprecedented pressure on its allies.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The former Soviet republic is supported by the USA and other NATO countries in its defensive battle with military aid. In recent years, Russia has repeatedly criticized NATO’s eastern expansion, in which the former Warsaw Pact states Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary were initially accepted into the alliance 25 years ago. They were followed by other Eastern European countries. Ukraine is also striving to join NATO. (APA)
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