National Security Advisor announces $300 million in aid to Ukraine
WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced $300 million in weapons for Ukraine to address its needs in the war with Russia.
This will be the Pentagon's first security package for Kyiv since December.
At Tuesday's White House briefing, Sullivan suggested Ukrainian forces are not currently able to defend themselves against Russian attacks.
"When Russian troops advance and its guns fire. Ukraine does not have enough ammunition to fire back. That's costing terrain. It's costing lives and it's costing us the United States and the NATO alliance strategically so today on behalf of President Biden, I'm announcing an emergency package of security assistance of $300 million worth of weapons and equipment to address some of Ukraine's pressing needs. This is possible because of unanticipated cost savings in contracts that DOD negotiated to replace equipment we've already sent to Ukraine through previous drawdowns. when we sent Ukraine weapons last year, we negotiated contracts to replenish those weapons in US stockpiles. we budgeted the full amount of appropriated funds for those contracts. It turns out, we negotiated well, those contracts came in under budget. So we have a modest amount of funding available. And to put a fine point on it. We're able to use these cost savings to make this modest amount of new security assistance available right now without impacting us military readiness. And the President has directed his team to use these cost savings. this emergency package that we're announcing contains a large tranche of artillery rounds and Gimler's and the himars. It is assistance that Ukraine desperately needs to hold the line against Russian attacks and to push back against the continuing Russian onslaught. In the east and and other parts of Ukraine."
Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor
A bill to provide $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan has stalled in the House after overwhelming passing the Senate.
