The United States has approved a new $600 million package of arms and ammunition under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), the US Department of Defense website reports.
“This package includes equipment to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense, artillery ammunition, and other capabilities,” the release says.
The new $600 million defense assistance package includes
– equipment to support and integrate Ukraine’s air defense systems;
– additional ammunition for the Highly Mobile Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
– 105-mm artillery rounds;
– electronic warfare and electronic countermeasures;
– destructive ammunition for clearing obstacles;
– equipment for demining;
– support and equipment for training, maintenance and sustainment.
“The United States will continue to work with its allies and partners to provide Ukraine with the capabilities to meet its immediate combat needs and long-term security assistance requirements,” the Pentagon emphasized.
Finland will send the 18th military aid package to Ukraine.
“The cost of the military equipment to be supplied will be about 94 million euros,” the government of the republic said on Friday.
The total cost of all the aid provided by Finland will be about 1.3 billion euros.
The exact content of the aid and the delivery schedule are not disclosed for reasons of ensuring safe delivery.
On Wednesday, during a visit to Ukraine, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo promised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Finland would soon decide on a new military aid package.
“Artillery, ammunition, and air defense equipment, in particular, are now of central importance in Ukraine. Ukraine needs air defense to protect not only its cities and citizens, but also commercial routes, such as grain shipments in the Black Sea,” he told a meeting of his National Conservative Party’s parliamentary faction on Friday.
He noted that Ukraine will host an exhibition for defense equipment manufacturers in the fall.
“I call on all Finnish defense industry operators to take advantage of this opportunity and participate in export work,” Orpo urged.
Lithuania has transferred a new military aid package worth 41 million euros to Ukraine, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
According to the Defense Ministry, the package includes Carl Gustaf ammunition, rifles, maritime surveillance radar kits, 5.56 mm caliber ammunition, generators, and antidrones, among others.
NASAMS rocket launchers will also be transferred to Ukraine.
“Lithuania’s contribution to Ukraine’s freedom struggle has already amounted to millions of rounds of ammunition and thousands of weapons, and in return, valuable lessons have been learned and Lithuania’s defense has been strengthened. Lithuania continues to provide unwavering support to Ukraine, which today celebrates the 32nd anniversary of its independence, and the total amount of military assistance provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the war has already exceeded half a billion euros,” the press release quoted Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas as saying.
According to the Defense Ministry, in the first seven months of this year, Lithuania supplied Ukraine with Mi-8 helicopters, L-70 anti-aircraft guns with ammunition, M113 armored personnel carriers, millions of rounds of ammunition, and ammunition for grenade launchers.
“Lithuania also provides expert advice, contributes to international funds to support Ukraine, contributes to the training of Ukrainian soldiers, holds courses for them, and Lithuanian military instructors participate in Operation Interflex, during which, together with other NATO allies, train Ukrainian soldiers in the subtleties of combat,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also noted that medical and rehabilitation institutions of the country had received about 200 wounded Ukrainian servicemen and planned to receive more.
The Swedish Parliament has approved the transfer of an additional military aid package worth a total of 3.25 billion Swedish kronor (about 270 million euros) to Ukraine, the Riksdag press service reported.
“Parliament approved the donation of additional defense equipment to Ukraine. The authorization will give the government the right to decide on the donation to Ukraine of defense equipment in the form of spare parts and readiness goods worth no more than SEK 1.1 billion, as well as ammunition, demining equipment and vehicles worth no more than SEK 2.15 billion,” the statement said.
Parliament also decided to authorize the government to sell a limited number of missiles for Rb 99 (AMRAAM) fighter jets to the US. The US has launched a buy-back program for old AMRAAM variants in exchange for the same countries purchasing new AMRAAM missiles. The purpose of the program is to transfer the repurchased missiles to Ukraine to quickly strengthen the Ukrainian air defense system.
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said that the German government has included support for Ukraine, including military aid, in its budget planning until 2027.
“For the next few years we have already firmly planned further support for Ukraine in our budget planning. The government already agreed this a few weeks ago, and I have no doubt that it will also be confirmed by our parliament in the coming months,” Lindner said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko.
He noted that the planned EUR5bn of military aid is bilateral aid. In addition, Lindner added, Germany makes various financial contributions to the EU, provides support in the humanitarian sphere of Ukraine and Ukrainians fleeing the war in the FRG.
“You know that Germany is the largest contributor to the European budget. We also have a correspondingly high share of the future financial aid that the European Union has promised to Ukraine. In our state budget, we have allocated large funds for the military until 2027 so that Ukraine can continue to rely on our contributions in the coming years,” Lindner said.
The finance minister also emphasized that Germany’s support for Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion amounts to EUR22bn, of which EUR12bn is military aid.
Germany has handed over a new aid package to the Ukrainian army, which includes vehicles, drones and ammunition, the press service of the German government has reported.
Thus, according to the published list, the new aid package includes 10 tracked all-terrain vehicles Bandvagn 206 (BV206), 13 reconnaissance drones Vector, 20 reconnaissance drones RQ-35 Heidrun, 6 anti-aircraft self-propelled launchers Gepard and 15 thousand ammunition for them, 2.6 thousand smoke shells of 155 mm caliber.
In addition, 8 ambulances and 8 dental sterilizers were handed over.
